Tennessee vs Ohio State prediction & betting tips - Dec. 21 - College Football Playoff

The Tennessee Volunteers are on the road to play the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ABC.

Tennessee (10-2) ended the season with a 36-23 win over Vanderbilt. Ohio State (10-2) ended the year with a stunning 13-10 loss to Michigan at home in a game they were massive favorites.

Tennessee vs Ohio State: Preview

The Volunteers are a 7.5-point underdog, while the over/under is set at 46.5 points.

Tennessee made the college football playoff but is a bit disappointed not to host a playoff game and instead has to go on the road to play the Ohio State Buckeyes.

However, Tennessee fans have bought plenty of tickets for the game, which hasn't surprised coach Josh Heupel.

“Not [surprised] with this fanbase,” Josh Heupel, via On3, adding, “It’s a nice short drive up there and Christmas is right around the corner. It’s a great Christmas present.”

The Vols are led by Nico Iamaleava, who threw for 2,512 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Dylan Sampson has rushed for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns, as the run game has been a key part of the Vols offense.

“You watch the tape,” Heupel said about Sampson via TSN, adding, “He’s done a great job of creating big plays, explosive plays, making people miss. But he’s done a great job of understanding, you know, when it’s not clean, getting his pads down and going plus-two at the end of the runs. But he plays great without the ball in his hands as well. And a huge part of our success as a football team.”

Tennessee's defense is also stellar, as the defensive line can get after the quarterback. The Vols also limit explosive plays, which will be key to slowing down Ohio State's offense.

The Buckeyes, meanwhile, have been sitting on its stunning loss to Michigan for nearly a month now. Ohio State didn't get the ball to star receivers Jeremiah Smith or Emeka Egbuka in the loss to Michigan, so coach Ryan Day says they need to get those playmakers the ball.

"We gotta make sure that we’re getting our best players the ball, but that’s what I’m talking about," Day said via On3, adding, "Maximizing our strengths, we gotta be able to do that, and that’s very important in this game.”

The Buckeyes have a chip on their shoulder after the loss to Michigan, but the Wolverines showed Tennessee a path to victory. The Vols' defensive line can bully Ohio State's offensive line, which has some key injuries, while Tennessee's run game will be key to their success.

Ultimately, the injuries to the offensive line are too much to overcome for the Buckeyes, who get stunned in the first round of the playoffs.

Prediction: Tennessee 27, Ohio State 24.

Tennessee vs Ohio State: Betting Tips

Tip 1: Tennessee +7.5 (-115)

Tip 2: Tennessee ML (+235)

Tip 3: Over 46.5 points (-112)

Tip 4: Dylan Sampson anytime TD scorer (-150)