Tennessee vs. Ohio State: How to watch College Football Playoff first round game, TV channel, streaming, start time and stats

The first No. 9 vs. No. 8 matchup in the 12-team College Football Playoff era takes place on Saturday night when the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers (10-2) visit the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2).

Ohio State was set for a Big Ten title game appearance until the final week of the regular season, when the Buckeyes lost at home to their biggest rival, the unranked Michigan Wolverines. That saw them drop to eighth in the CFP rankings, but they managed to hang onto their first-round home game.

Tennessee dominated opponents early, scoring at least 50 points in each of their first three games before beating then-No. 15 Oklahoma in Week 4, but a loss to Arkansas made any SEC title hopes much harder to accomplish. The Vols managed to beat then-No. 7 Alabama before suffering their second and most recent loss at then-No. 11 Georgia in mid-November.

Read the latest betting picks, predictions and odds for Tennessee vs. Ohio State in the College Football Playoff on site.

How to watch Tennessee vs. Ohio State, TV channel and streaming

Tennessee vs. Ohio State will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN.

ABC can be viewed through linear and cable TV and via live TV streaming apps such as YouTubeTV or FuboTV. ESPN can be viewed through cable TV or via live TV streaming apps.

Tennessee vs. Ohio State start time, date and venue

Tennessee vs. Ohio State is scheduled to start at 8 PM ET/7 PM CT/5 PM PT on Saturday, December 21 with the game taking place at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Tennessee vs. Ohio State stats

• The Tennessee Volunteers finished the regular season ranked eighth out of 134 Division I Football programs in points scored per game with 37.2, and they ranked fifth in points allowed per game with 13.9.
• The Ohio State Buckeyes ranked 19th in points scored per game with 35.5, and they ranked first in points allowed per game with 10.9.
• Volunteers QB Nico Iamaleava completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 2,512 yards and a 19-5 TD-INT ratio.
• Buckeyes QB Will Howard completed 72.3 percent of his passes for 2,860 yards and a 27-8 TD-INT ratio, and he rushed 72 times for 131 yards and seven TDs.
• Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson led the SEC with 256 carries, 1,485 rush yards and 22 rushing TDs.
• Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins had 147 carries for 805 yards and nine total TDs, and fellow Buckeyes RB TreVeyon Henderson had 108 carries for 751 yards, six TDs and a Big Ten-high 7.0 yards per carry.
• Vols edge rusher James Pearce Jr. led the team with 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
• Buckeyes defensive lineman JT Tuimoloau led the team with 12 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks.

Read the latest College Football news on site.