Scarlet Sunrise: Buckeyes reveal players of game from CFP win over Tennessee

COLUMBUS — Ohio State started Saturday night with a touchdown on its opening drive. The Buckeyes never looked back, crushing Tennessee 42-17 in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Next stop: the Rose Bowl against top-seeded Oregon, the Big Ten champion. But before the Buckeyes turned the page to the Ducks, the program released its players of the game from its win over the Volunteers.

On offense, Will Howard was named co-offensive player of the game. Howard was pin-point accurate to Jeremiah Smith on a pair of touchdowns and also down the field to his other receivers. He was good on the ground and generally piloted the Ohio State offense to an incredible showing. Howard finished the night with just five incompletions, 311 passing yards and both of the touchdown throws. He did have an interception, but that was just a great play by a Volunteers defender.

He split the award with Jeremiah Smith, the superstar freshman wide receiver and former top overall recruit in his class passed the 1,000-yard receiving mark on the season during the first half, and he kept going in the second half. Smith caught the opening touchdown of the game, a beautiful 37-yard strike by Will Howard against man-to-man coverage. Smith finished his incredible day with six catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns, a remarkable showing in the biggest game of his young career.

Defensively, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau split co-defensive players of the game honors. The defensive end duo combined for 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and three pass breakups, dominating the Tennessee offensive tackles that clearly were not blocking any Buckeyes defensive end. Sawyer and Tuimoloau, but especially Sawyer, got a do-over on their final game at Ohio Stadium, and both made it count.

Report: Buckeyes assistant offensive line coach Mike Sollenne leaving for job at UNLV

A key piece of the Ohio State offensive line staff is reportedly moving up the coaching ranks. Buckeyes assistant offensive line coach Mike Sollene is leaving the Buckeyes program for the offensive line coaching job at UNLV, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Sollenne has been with the Ohio State program for three seasons, helping Justin Frye and the offensive staff rebuild the offensive line unit that has struggled at times but has also shown signs of improvement.

Sollenne, who was a former graduate assistant at Florida who earned an in-season promotion to lead the offensive line under Mullen, joined the Buckeyes in a support role alongside newly-hired position coach Justin Frye during the 2022 offseason.

The Ohio State offensive line has been much maligned this season for its up and down play under Frye and Sollenne. The Buckeyes lost starters Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin to season-ending injuries earlier this year. But against Tennessee in the College Football Playoff on Saturday night, the offensive line played at an extremely high level.

Sollenne has been a big part of the development for the offensive linemen in the room for the Buckeyes. Now, though, he’s rejoining Mullen, who he worked for at Florida, in his new post at UNLV. And a key piece of the Ohio State offensive line operation will be departing after three years with the program.

Counting down

Ohio State vs. Oregon in Rose Bowl: 9 days
Ohio State at Michigan: 341 days

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