What Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day said about how Tennessee's offense stresses defenses
No.9 seed Tennessee travels north later this month to take on No.8 seed Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoffs on December 21st. It will mark just the second meeting between the Vols and Buckeyes, the other coming in the 1996 Citrus Bowl.
The stakes are much higher in this contest, as the loser goes home and the winner moves one step closer to the National Championship.
The Vols ended the season on a high note, scoring 36 points against in-state rival Vanderbilt, after storming back from an early 14-point first-quarter deficit.
Ohio State on the other hand, comes into the playoffs following a stunning home loss to Michigan, in which the Buckeyes managed to score just 10 points and fell to their rival.
Both teams will look to be at their best during the crucial matchup, and on Sunday, Ryan Day addressed what he has seen from the Vols offense heading into the contest.
“Very innovative coach (Josh Heupel),” Day said of the Tennessee offense during his latest press conference. “I think the quarterback has a strong arm. Running back (Dylan Sampson) is excellent. Think he’s All-SEC, runs low to the ground. They spread you out and try to create space issues for you. I think the receivers, you know, some big ones. There’s some quick guys in there. I mean, they’re talented. And so, they try to put as much stress on you, especially with the space and the tempo.”
Day says his Buckeye team has already got to work in preparing for the ways the Vols can stress his team’s defense.
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” So we gotta be prepared to play fast in this game.” the Ohio State Head Coach said. “We’ve already kinda started that process here in what we’re gonna do for this week and, you know, getting lined up and making sure that our guys got their cleats in the dirt and go play football. Because, again, how do they try to stress you out? They try to stress you out horizontally, vertically, and then with their tempo.”
The game will be one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the first round, and Day noted as much during his press conference.
“It’s a great matchup against two teams that really don’t get to play each other very much,” the Ohio State Head Coach concluded on Sunday. “Two great brands in the playoffs. I think when you looked at it a few years ago, like, this is the type of game that you’re like, ‘okay, this could be a great environment against two very good teams.’ And so this is what we got.”
Tennessee-Ohio State in the College Football Playoff: How To Watch
Start Time: Saturday, December 21, 8 p.m. Eastern Time
TV: ABC/ESPN
Streaming: ESPN App
Radio: WNML-FM 99.1 in Knoxville (Bob Kesling, Pat Ryan, Brent Hubbs, Jayson Swain). The Vol Network radio broadcast can be heard on local affiliates across the state of Tennessee.
