Tennessee Falls to Ohio State in College Football Playoff First Round
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The seventh-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, seeded No. 9, faced a tough defeat against the sixth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, seeded No. 8, in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff. The final score stood at 42-17 in favor of Ohio State, as the game took place on Saturday night in Ohio Stadium.
Tennessee, finishing the season with a 10-3 record, celebrated its second 10-win season in the past three years under the leadership of head coach Josh Heupel. The Vols’ remarkable 30 wins from 2022 to 2024 marked the highest total for the program in any three-year stretch since the 1998-2000 seasons. Despite the loss, Tennessee’s achievements this season highlighted the team’s growth and competitiveness on the national stage.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the redshirt freshman, had a mixed performance in his final game of the season. He completed 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards, also adding 47 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
This marked an impressive end to his first season as a starting quarterback. Iamaleava made history by becoming the first freshman—whether true or redshirt—in Tennessee’s history to win 10 games in a single season, cementing his place in Vols lore.
Iamaleava’s main target throughout the game was wide receiver Bru McCoy, who finished with four receptions for 40 yards. In the backfield, freshman Peyton Lewis led the Vols’ rushing attack, carrying the ball 10 times for 77 yards, stepping up in the absence of starter Dylan Sampson, who was dealing with an injury.
Ohio State, however, wasted no time asserting dominance. The Buckeyes jumped to an early 21-0 lead, scoring touchdowns on their first three drives. Quarterback Will Howard connected with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith on a 37-yard touchdown pass to open the game.
The Buckeyes followed up with two more rushing touchdowns, the first by Quinshon Judkins on a one-yard run, and the second by TreVeyon Henderson, who raced for a 29-yard touchdown.
As Ohio State threatened to increase its lead further, Tennessee’s defense showed resilience. Redshirt senior defensive back Will Brooks intercepted a pass from Howard in the back of the end zone with just over 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter. It was Brooks’ fourth interception of the season, and it gave the Vols a chance to regain some momentum.
Tennessee capitalized on the interception, mounting a 62-yard, nine-play drive that ended with a 36-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Max Gilbert, making the score 21-3.
The Vols’ defense responded with a quick three-and-out on Ohio State’s next possession, and the offense kept pushing. Iamaleava orchestrated a methodical 16-play drive, capped off by a two-yard rushing touchdown, pulling the Vols to within 21-10 as the first half came to a close.
The second half mirrored the first, as Ohio State’s offense came out firing again. The Buckeyes scored touchdowns on their first three drives of the third quarter.
Will Howard threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Smith, and both Judkins and Henderson found the end zone once more on the ground, with Judkins scoring from one yard out and Henderson adding a 24-yard touchdown run. At this point, Ohio State’s lead had ballooned to 42-10, making a comeback difficult for Tennessee.
In the closing minutes of the game, Iamaleava scored his second rushing touchdown of the night, this time from two yards out, to give Tennessee a late score and cut the deficit to 42-17 with 1:56 remaining in regulation. It wasn’t enough to change the outcome, but the Vols continued to battle until the final whistle.
On the defensive side, Tennessee’s defense racked up seven tackles for loss in the game, capping off a season in which they recorded 100 total TFLs—tied for the eighth-most in program history. This marks the third time in four years under defensive coordinator Tim Banks that Tennessee has reached the 100 TFL milestone.
Sophomore linebacker Jeremiah Telander delivered a standout performance, recording a career-high 10 tackles, including one tackle for loss. His effort exemplified the Vols’ defensive resolve throughout the contest.
In what was a historic occasion for the program, an estimated 30,000 Tennessee fans were part of the 102,819 spectators in attendance, marking the Vols’ first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. While the outcome was not what Tennessee fans hoped for, the team’s season showcased tremendous progress and set a solid foundation for future success.
Although the Vols’ playoff journey ended in the first round, the 2024 campaign remains a significant milestone in the program’s upward trajectory under Heupel’s leadership. The future appears bright for Tennessee football as they continue to build on their accomplishments and aim for even greater achievements in the seasons ahead.
