More Humiliation on the Horizon for Ryan Day & Ohio State After Analyst Drops Concerning Playoff Verdict

The Tennessee Vols didn’t get the home-field advantage they hoped for in the college football playoff. They’ll be traveling to Ohio State in a high-stakes night game happening on December 21. Although a road game in the cold Columbus winter seems daunting, you know what? It could either work in Tennessee’s favor or maybe not. But one thing is for sure. If Ryan Day‘s squad loses one more game, they’ll have to wait another year for their national champ dreams. And who knows if Day will get to keep or lose his job?

Amidst all this, John Middlekauff, a college football show host, talked about Ohio State’s upcoming game against Tennessee. He spoke about how the weather conditions could affect the game. “The pressure on Ryan Day to win this game. It just could get so negative. I mean, my guess is 15-plus million people are going to be watching. It’s going to be so many people watching. It’s going to be so cold. So part of their passing attack is, I would imagine Columbus is a little warmer than South Bend, but let’s just pick a number. Let’s say it’s 22 degrees. You’re probably not passing for 280 yards in freezing cold temperatures.”

Middlekauff also wondered whether Ohio State could run the ball as well as Tennessee. “Yeah, Dylan Sampson’s one of the best running backs in the country,” chimed in Intern Jackson. “They could do something like they did against Oklahoma, where Nico threw the ball too many times. Third down. Just throw it to kinda keep the drive going,” he added as they both reached an agreement. “Play like Michigan!”

The host feels the Vols could “play like Michigan” and adopt the “we think we are tougher than you” attitude in order to hand Ohio State a loss. Especially after they are recovering from a crushing loss to Michigan. “Of all the teams, in this first round, I think Tennessee would be the last team Ohio State would pick to play,” was Middlekauff’s verdict.

A home loss to Tennessee could make things unbearable in Columbus and might even cost Day his head coaching position. Yeah, after they lost their fourth straight game to Michigan, losing against the Vols can add fuel to the fire. The kind of pressure Day might be feeling is hard to handle, and it could weigh heavily on Ohio State.

Tennessee’s 25-15 victory over Oklahoma is still being praised every other day, thanks to their quarterback Nico Iamaleva and running back Dylan Sampson. It was Iamaleava’s first SEC start, and he completed 13 of 21 passes for 194 yards, adding to a jaw-dropping 66-yard touchdown pass to Dont’e Thorton Jr. while closing the first quarter.

Sampson, on the other hand, helped with carrying the ba*l 24 times for 92 yards and capping a key first-drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge, marking his 10th touchdown of the season. On top of that, the Vols forced three first-half turnovers, adding a forced fumble by Joshua Josephs. Yeah, the way the Vols push their opponents as early as in the first quarter leaves no chance for recovery. The same can be done against the Buckeyes. So, no doubt they might not be the option Ohio State would prefer to play against right now. That’s why Ohio State and Ryan Day need to plan everything from the start if they aim to win this game.

What does Ryan Day say about playing against Tennessee?

Although Ryan Day is a little hyped for the Buckeye’s first-ever college football playoff game at Ohio Stadium, beating Tennessee would be a tough nut to crack, and he knows that. While a win can reignite Ohio State’s season after a painful loss to Michigan, a loss could spiral things further out of control. Day didn’t mince his words, calling the atmosphere “electric” and emphasizing how crucial this game is.

“Ohio Stadium has been around for over 100 years, and there’s never been a playoff game like this,” he said. It’s gonna be on us fast—two weeks to prep—and this first win is critical to building momentum. “For Ohio State, starting strong is non-negotiable. A slow start has caused them major issues this season, and while facing a high-powered Tennessee team, they can’t risk playing catch-up. Day even stressed this out, saying, “It’s not bowl prep. It’s different. All of our focus is on these guys.”

What’s highly at stake? Night game, home crowd, playoff stake—it’s all on the line. Can Ohio State bring the killer instinct day is waiting for, or will Tennessee play spoiler? Buckeye Nation will know that in a few days.