It's not the cleanest path for Ohio State to make a College Football Playoff run, but there will be no complaints from the Buckeyes.
Tennessee, who will travel to the Shoe on Dec. 22 as the ninth seed in the CFP, might be the toughest draw possible for Ohio State in the first round, especially given the Volunteers' defensive line excellence when the Buckeyes' offensive line has struggled of late. A rematch with top-seeded Oregon awaits OSU if it beats the Orange and White. But beggars can't be choosers after a 13-10 rivalry loss to close the season.
That was the sentiment expressed by Ryan Day in his press conference on Sunday. The past is the past, Ohio State has learned from and processed its Michigan loss and is now lasered in on a new target. The allure of an SEC team traveling to the Shoe to play a playoff game at night is undeniable. And the hope is a win in that atmosphere could build momentum for the Buckeyes.
Addressing the aforementioned offensive line will be the first priority, however. Day mentioned both Luke Montgomery and Josh Padilla as candidates to compete and move things around on the inside, though he said Donovan Jackson will "probably" stick at left tackle and not slide back inside, to no surprise.
Eleven Warriors' Andy Anders and Dan Hope give their thoughts on the matchup and Ohio State's offensive concerns in a Selection Sunday episode of Press Coverage, which you can view at the top of the page.
