COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Coach Josh Heupel doesn’t much care for the narrative that No. 7 Tennessee, with its checkered history over the past 15 years, is content just to have reached the College Football Playoff.
The fourth-year coach knows that mindset won’t work facing a team like No. 6 Ohio State, which is in the playoff for the sixth time and has one of the best rosters in the nation.
“If you’re just happy to be there, it’s going to be a quick cup of coffee,” Heupel said.
Ohio State (10-2), a top-five team for most of the season, is still reeling from a fourth straight loss to archrival Michigan. A loss to the Volunteers will only add to calls from fans for coach Ryan Day to be fired.
So, Ohio State will be seeking redemption in the first-round game Saturday night in the frigid Horseshoe. As quarterback Will Howard put it, it’s a chance to “right the wrongs.”
Day is stressing that the eighth-seeded Buckeyes deserve to be here.
“Once you get into the playoffs, it’s a brand new start,” he said. “And I think that’s what our guys have recognized now, the fact that they’ve earned the opportunity to play in the playoffs.”
Ninth-seeded Tennessee (10-2) hasn’t won a national championship — or an SEC title, for that matter — since 1998, the year after Peyton Manning left. It got even rougher with the firing of Philip Fulmer after the 2008 season. with a string of disappointing seasons, a revolving door of coaches and NCAA violations.
Now the Vols get a shot at a national title thanks to the newly expanded 12-team playoff. The winner of the first-round game will travel to the Rose Bowl to face top-ranked Oregon, which beat Ohio State by a point in a shootout back on Oct. 12.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Heupel said of facing the program’s next step. “But now it’s about, ‘What are you going to do with the opportunity?’”
Ohio State has had to reshuffle its offensive line several times in the second half of the season due to injuries.
The Buckeyes lost starting left tackle Josh Simmons against Oregon. His replacement, Zen Michalski, went down the next game. The biggest blow came in late November when Seth McLaughlin, the eventual winner of the Rimington Award given to the best center, tore an Achilles tendon.
McLaughlin’s absence was conspicuous as Ohio State struggled to run inside against Michigan. Tennessee has one of the best defensive lines in the country, led by end James Pearce Jr., a potential first round NFL draft pick, and a pair of 300-pounders inside in Bryson Eason and Omari Thomas.
“They’re fifth nationally in both scoring and total defense, the No. 1 third-down defense in the country, No. 1 red-zone defense in the country,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “So., we’re playing a formidable defense coming in here.”
Tennessee fans have been working hard to get more than the 3,500 tickets allotted to the university for the game at the ‘Shoe.
Running back Dylan Sampson won’t be surprised to see plenty of Tennessee fans for the Volunteers’ first game in the state of Ohio, let alone in the historic stadium and its first game in the month of December.
“That’s what I expect from Tennessee fans,” Sampson said. “And, you know, I can’t wait to get out there and see a whole bunch of orange.”
Heupel expects it, too, based on what he’s seen in his four seasons coaching at Tennessee.
“It’s a nice short drive up there, and Christmas is right around the corner,” Heupel said. “It’s a great Christmas present.”
Tennessee has had a knack for making big plays when backed up inside its own 20. The Vols forced turnovers at the goal line or in the end zone four times this season. AP All-SEC cornerback Jermod McCoy had an interception in the end zone to help key the win over Alabama and another against Vanderbilt. He has a team-leading four picks on the season.
The ESPN “Game Day” crew will visit Columbus for its pregame show leading up to the 8 p.m. playoff game. It will be the fifth time this year Game Day has been on campus and the 63rd time overall, dating to Sept. 28, 1996. The show will also be at Notre Dame before the Irish clashes with Indiana on Friday night before the drive east to Columbus.
___
AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker contributed.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
