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

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

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

Field Level Media
Sport Writer & Editor
FLM has a North American focus while tying into regional and hyper-local resources – providing the ability to distribute compelling content through the writing of professional journalists. As the U.S. sports content provider to dozens of digital and print media publishers through strategic partnerships with the likes of Reuters and Nielsen Sports, FLM covers the nuts and bolts with a breaking news desk and game event coverage.

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