Josh Heupel and Vols preparing for the cold, preparing more for Ohio State

One of the biggest storylines over the next two weeks leading up to Tennessee playing Ohio State in Columbus for the first round of the College Football Playoffs will be that southern team traveling north to play in late December.

Translation: it’s going to be cold. That’s likely to be fact, but how much of a factor is that going to be? It’s not like Tennessee is playing home games in South Beach.  

East Tennessee weather is like a box of chocolates. You truly never know what you’re going to get. Tennessee’s final home game on November 16 saw the Volunteers shut out UTEP in 55-degree weather. Pleasant. One week later, Tennessee took down Vanderbilt in Nashville with 41-degree weather at kickoff on an afternoon that saw temperatures drop as the game went along. It was chilly with the wind blowing at times.

The Vols practice in the mornings. Yes, the Anderson Training Facility (indoor practice field) is utilized but it’s not like Tennessee is out in the sun at 4 o’clock every afternoon getting ready for the next game. The team has worn cold gear this year, after all.

“Yeah, not sure what the temperature will be up there at night. Know it won’t be sunny and 85,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said on Selection Sunday. “We played in 30-degree weather a week ago. For us, a lot of our practices are in the morning. We’re outside. It’ll be similar temperatures to what you’re going to get up there. Our guys got to be able to handle anything that comes at them. That’s the weather, it’s outside distractions. It’s us getting ready to go be our best 11 on 11 between the white lines. And we’ll be ready to handle that and operate at a high level.”

And as long as the practice field conditions are suitable, the Vols will be outside over the next two weeks.

“During the course of the lead up to kickoff, we’ll be outside as much as we possibly can,” Heupel continued. “Typically, the temperatures, at some point during this preparation will mirror what we think we’ll have on Saturday night up there. We typically get outside unless something is not right with the grass fields, as far as wet, damp, frost, whatever it might be.”

The cold is nothing new to Ohio State. In the Buckeyes’ final home game of the regular season, a 13-10 loss to rival Michigan, the kickoff temperature was 27 degrees, according to the game book. What will the weather be on Saturday, December 21 at 8 o’clock eastern time? Who knows. It was 51 degrees at 8 o’clock in Columbus, Ohio Sunday evening.

“It’s a once in a life a lifetime opportunity up until this point. I mean, this has never happened before. I think it’s exciting. I think it’s exciting for our players. I think it’s exciting for our coaches and staff. It’s exciting for our fans to be part of something that’s never really been done before,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on Sunday of the home playoff game in December. “And also having a night game in the Horseshoe and who knows the weather will be? It’ll be it’ll be great. It’ll be electric. We’re all excited about it. It’s the first time for this. It’s just very different than it was 10 years ago, 15 years ago, 20 years ago. We’re just in a different time.

“We’ll practice outside like we continue to do to make sure that we’re ready for the elements because this time of year, that becomes a big part of it.”

Safe to say, both coaches are more focused on the opponent than the weather. Tennessee’s offense will face the best defense it has seen all year. Ohio State’s defense will be tased with trying to slow down the USA Today Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in running back Dylan Sampson.

There’s going to be plenty of preparation leading up to this one and I’m sure members of both teams will have the long sleeves on. We’ll see how big of a talking point this turns into.