Tennessee fans are built differently. Reddit knows it, Twitter screams it, and the rest of college football? Y’all just aren’t ready for them. It’s not just fandom but a full-blown crazy show similar to Ohio State fans but with even spicier memes and zero chill. Now, imagine a team accustomed to warm weather venturing into the frozen tundra of Ohio. But there is a twist, as the style of play could potentially overturn expectations. With a sense of unease and vibes swirling in this clash, the Buckeye might get tough competition. As this clash is generating more nervous anticipation than an easy win. Buckle up, people.

The fans creating a mess on the field is one thing, but weather factors turning up the game is something serious. See the Ohio State and Vols showdown. Columbus’s 22-degree low temperature looks favorable for the Bucks, but Josh Pate highlights that might not be the only deciding factor of their game, saying, “And also you’re going into a situation where, yes, you’ve got home field at Ohio State, and that means something. But the weather being in the 20s is supposed to benefit the northern team, and yet, based on style of play, I mean, Ohio State’s got to throw the ball a lot more than they did against Michigan, for obvious reasons. So Tennessee is the one that can ground and pound a little bit better here.”

That’s a straight fact. While both teams have similar run defenses to handle the cold, the Vols feature one of the strongest rushing offenses, standing at 9th in the nation. See, 232 yards per game is not a joke, whereas Ohio State is not even near this yard range with 169.2 yards per game and is also at 59th position in rushing offense. That’s really a matter of concern for Ryan Day and the team. Moreover, their loss against Michigan is still not leaving them alone.

Now their game against Michigan couldn’t give them a win, but it at least prepared them to play in snowy conditions. Moreover, even their quarterback, Will Howard, looks quite resilient; that weather is something that can break them, as he says, “It’s cold out here, so I don’t think that’s a worry for us. We practice in cold.” But then Josh Pate’s warning for the team doesn’t bode well with Bucks plans, as he says, “Chip Kelly, the offensive coordinator, said a couple of days ago, It is media availability. We’ve watched the Michigan game. We’ve identified the problems.” If you think that’s concerning, wait for the big revelation.

Nico Iamaleava a threat to Ohio State

Let’s just be clear: one of the major concerns for both teams is not their past victories but the changing weather conditions, which can actually impact their game. But we also can’t ignore the fact that it’s a very crucial game for Ohio State, and one mistake might raise questions about Ryan Day’s coaching abilities and smack him with some serious backlash from fans. Even though his tenure with the team is safe, what do you think will happen after this loss?

However, for now, Ohio State must keep an eye on Tennessee’s star quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, and his ability to show exceptional execution in the cold weather. Ryan Day and his team should be wary of Nico’s success in cold weather. Remember that snowy 7-on-7 fame game in Chicago? Nico Iamaleave is super sure that he can take over the field against Ohio State, as he says, “I played in snow one time when I was in Chicago, a couple of years ago with my seven-on-seven team, and that was probably the coldest I played in.” 

Now that statement is confident, and it’s enough of a warning for Ohio State. Even this season, Nico played against Vanderbilt in extreme weather conditions. When the game kicked off, it was all sunny and 41 degrees, but then the weather dipped to -30 degrees. Crazy, right? It looks like Nico Lamaleave has been preparing for the worst since the start of the season, and that is not good news for Ohio State, as practicing and playing are two different things.