First-quarter eruption sends No. 8 Ohio State past No. 9 Vols

Field Level Media|published: 12/22/2024, 12:13am EST

Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) hurdles Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Gaston Moore (13) during the first half of a College Football Playoff first round game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Will Howard threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns, both to Jeremiah Smith, while TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two scores as No. 8 seed Ohio State routed No. 9 seed Tennessee 42-17 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.

Ohio State (11-2) will play No. 1 seed Oregon (13-0) in the quarterfinals in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1.

Smith's second TD, a 22-yarder with nine minutes left in the third quarter, made it 28-10. Henderson's 24-yarder early in the fourth extended the lead to 42-10.

Howard finished 24-of-29 passing with an interception, while Smith's six catches went for 103 yards. Henderson gained 80 yards on 10 carries.

The kickoff temperature was 25 degrees with a wind chill of 17 before a crowd of 102,819, with about 40 percent for the Vols.

The Volunteers (10-3) rallied to trail 21-10 at the half after it looked as if they would be blown out.

Tennessee got a 36-yard field goal by Max Gilbert after an interception by Davison Igbinosun at the Ohio State 19 was nullified by a roughing-the-passer penalty.

The Volunteers pulled within 11 on a 1-yard run by Nico Iamaleava with 20 seconds left before the break to cap a 16-play, 79-yard drive that used 4:03.

Iamaleava completed 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards and rushed 20 times for 47 yards and two TDs.

Ohio State blitzed the Volunteers for first-quarter scoring drives of 75, 68 and 58 yards to lead 21-0 while outgaining the visitors 205-16 in total yards.

On the first possession of the game, the Buckeyes went ahead 7-0 on a 37-yard catch by Smith.

Quinshon Judkins made it 14-0 with a 1-yard run, and Henderson extended the lead to 21-0 on a 29-yard run.

Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson, the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, had two carries for 6 yards in the first quarter before leaving with an undisclosed injury. He returned in the third quarter to make a 2-yard catch but had no more carries.

--Craig Merz, Field Level Media