As per usual, Ohio State never does anything the easy way.
"Easy" in this case would've meant winning a layup game at home against a bad Michigan team, getting vengeance against the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship, and then sitting pretty for a few weeks with a playoff bye while the rest of the country sorted itself out.
None of that is actually easy (The Game is a monster all its own, Oregon remains pretty clearly the best team in the country). But it feels like pretty much any other outcome than what actually transpired would've been a lot more relaxing than the two weeks of angst over things like: losing to That Team Up North, the future of Ryan Day, a terrible overall record against the SEC, tickets being snatched up by Tennessee fans, the offense looking like hot garbage, the inevitable heat death of the universe, etc.
And then, in about 12 minutes and after three touchdowns, all of that was gone. Under the most pressure they've had to deal with in years, with the most to lose for Ryan Day as Ohio State's head coach, they came out against the Tennessee Volunteers like an angry, greased up javelina holding a machete in its mouth. In retrospect this was probably predictable (though I, uh... did not predict it) because Ohio State's M.O. since pretty much the beginning of time is to back itself into a corner and then come out swinging. In general, not the best approach to life, but in a playoff scenario it's not a bad quality to have.
It'd probably be a lot less stressful for everybody if this version of the Buckeyes showed up every week. But hell, I'll take this too.
THE BUCKEYES
OHIO VS THE WORLD
— Quinshon Judkins (@quinshon_) December 22, 2024
Unbelievably proud.
— Brian Hartline (@brianhartline) December 22, 2024
1 of 4.
Go Bucks
Yea ight https://t.co/xpLlaWKMkX
— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) December 22, 2024
Thank you Jesus
— Denzel Burke (@DenzelBurke10) December 22, 2024
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) December 22, 2024
The journey continues.
Go Bucks!!
Jermiah is going to take us back there #GoBucks
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) December 22, 2024
Complete dominance by OSU on both sides of the ball!! ALL GAME
— Cardale Jones (@CJ1two) December 22, 2024
Big day for the Buckeyes pic.twitter.com/OSSmdPV5gX
— Bobby Carpenter (@Bcarp3) December 22, 2024
WHAT A NIGHT for @OhioStateFB
— Ross Bjork (@RossBjorkAD) December 22, 2024
Incredibly proud of our staff, players and coaches for all the great work they did to make tonight special.
See you in Pasadena Buckeye Nation pic.twitter.com/vtHvQU6o1G
DAMN, IT'S TRUE
teams that are about to get blown out do stuff like this.
— Eric Wallace (@Eric__Wallace) December 22, 2024
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Emeka Egbuka got the honor of speaking to the fans ahead of his final game in the Shoe.
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) December 21, 2024
What a career is been for 2.
He said its all about matchups and off the positions, and when he got to our coach vs their coach the crowd erupted.
Buckeye nation giving Day some love. pic.twitter.com/AMCXP2Pu0J
Skull session @ryandaytime courtesy of 10TV's @AdamKing10TV pic.twitter.com/Jb15W64C15
— 97.1 The Fan (@971thefan) December 21, 2024
The contiguous 47 states, as God intended https://t.co/6O5QloCFSp
— Ramzy Nasrallah (@ramzy) December 22, 2024
If Ryan Day tweeted like this after missing the playoffs, his family would be in witness protection.
— Don Bellows (@proton_don) December 22, 2024
I truly think the SEC hivemind is the byproduct of ending Reconstruction way too early. https://t.co/JMa2hYCR7U
The Rotunda is repping pic.twitter.com/Z4fETlZRVA
— Rob Oller (@rollerCD) December 21, 2024
Defending Jeremiah Smith is like judges scoring Simone Biles at the Olympics. That's the only way to cover the man, so the rules are different for him.
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) December 22, 2024
Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith for a 37-yard touchdown on Ohio States opening drive. pic.twitter.com/0xl79ZL2y1
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 22, 2024
#4 is on
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) December 22, 2024
pic.twitter.com/JBH0I1T7hg
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) December 22, 2024
Lebron supporting Ohio State in the locker room pic.twitter.com/MC8UjVThh8
— Swish (@swishxvibes) December 22, 2024
51 Luke Montgomery proving me wrong early pic.twitter.com/mgwGotDfi3
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) December 22, 2024
Best in America pic.twitter.com/OvihHgmxh8
— Sideline Films (@SidelineFilmz) December 22, 2024
Jeremiah Smith, fan favorite. pic.twitter.com/9x8M1XSMc5
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) December 22, 2024
A Saturday night to remember in The 'Shoe! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/5uXO0cJufI
— Ohio State (@OhioState) December 22, 2024
Tonight was INCREDIBLE. Will be sharing more photos of our time at the game in the morning but man, all I can say is that win felt like it was for Clark
— Brutus Stark (@iron_brutus) December 22, 2024
Thank you again, so much, to Coach @ryandaytime, @BoCamaro, Buckeye Nation, Vol Nation, and everyone else who helped make pic.twitter.com/jgsQSNnvDe
This was one of the biggest plays of the first half.
— Tom Orr (@TomOrr4) December 22, 2024
The Buckeyes were *this close* to a 28-0 lead. Instead, after this interception, Tennessee cut their deficit to 21-10 at the break. pic.twitter.com/15JiUzYXuY
*whispers ... remember fellas they cannot cover your wrs, let them eat.
— Beau Bishop (@BeauBishop) December 22, 2024
Jeremiah Smith. Him. Himmy. Himothy. pic.twitter.com/Dnl2Fud1g9
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) December 22, 2024
4:00, wallow in self-pity pic.twitter.com/BA7rH3ar97
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 22, 2024
The Triumph of Bacchus, by Diego Velzquez, 1628-29 pic.twitter.com/2z3bSChS7N
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) December 22, 2024
The Tennessee Takeover has ended pic.twitter.com/QJEbJpIV7Q
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) December 22, 2024
TreVeyon Henderson puts the icing on the cake with a 24 yard touchdown run as Ohio State takes a 42-10 lead against Tennessee! pic.twitter.com/W82kK9x314
— The Sports Place (@offsportsplace) December 22, 2024
After three weeks of hell, pure elation. pic.twitter.com/PANNACdfaK
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) December 22, 2024
MD. pic.twitter.com/zSHaYfuQcv
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 22, 2024
Taking it all in one last time @OhioStateFB senior Emeka Egbuka says goodbye to the Shoe. #B1GFootball x #CFBPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/ypOVzWK6AJ
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 22, 2024
What did they call it? Neyland North? Yeah, that was lame. -Donovan Jackson
— Spencer Holbrook (@SpencerHolbrook) December 22, 2024
Goalpost: Still there pic.twitter.com/UTUov0SDbC
— Marcus Hartman (@marcushartman) December 22, 2024
We run through the SEC, boy. - Jermaine Mathews Jr. pic.twitter.com/OvbHgpBbzv
— 97.1 The Fan (@971thefan) December 22, 2024
— Ohio State Football Fan Page (@OhioStFootball) December 22, 2024
Drone Show lights up the 4th quarter pic.twitter.com/QKuzoUjJmx
"They counted us out, but we're right here baby" - Jack Sawyer pic.twitter.com/cTUOJIRk20
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) December 22, 2024
For narrative consistency I guess it should be said that Tennessee is proving it doesn't belong in the playoff and the SEC is overrated. Am I doing this right?
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) December 22, 2024
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 22, 2024
Jeremiah Smith is headed to the Rose Bowl pic.twitter.com/0vkss5jPQO
— Dave Holmes (@DaveHolmesTV) December 22, 2024
Last one in The Shoe for @emeka_egbuka was a special one pic.twitter.com/yZjFiHSN2f
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 22, 2024
One final Carmen Ohio in The Shoe. pic.twitter.com/WCJsBVOCSa
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 22, 2024
Former Alabama center Seth KcLaughlin knows how to celebrate a win over Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/Gri52muvx4
— Tom Orr (@TomOrr4) December 22, 2024
ESPN when an SEC team is getting blown out in a CFP game. pic.twitter.com/Jn9DEE9wm7
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) December 22, 2024
Will Howard on Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith: pic.twitter.com/qcJwp0vNU6
— Stephen Means (@Stephen_Means) December 22, 2024
Im going to In-N-Out burger!! #Buckeyes pic.twitter.com/dW2xP6XMFC
— Nicole Shearin (@NicoleShearintv) December 22, 2024
And that's it! Next up is a rematch with Oregon in the Rose Bowl, which feels like fate. See you on January 2nd!
- #8 Ohio State 42, #9 Tennessee 17
- • Buckeyes Smoke Tennessee 42-17
- • Buckeyes Leave No Doubt in CFP Opener
- • Jack and JT Takeover
- • Seth's Victory Stogie
- • Ohio State Postgame • Tennessee Postgame • Photos • After Carmen
- • Five Things • Notebook • Social Reax • Three Key Stats
