The weather forecast for Saturday's first-round College Football Playoff game between Ohio State and Tennessee keeps dipping more and more toward the cold side.
The current AccuWeather forecast in Columbus calls for a high of 30 degrees on Saturday, though with an 8 p.m. kickoff time, the forecasted low temperature of 22 degrees is probably closer to where the game will be played. But the Buckeyes feel prepared.
"Being outside last week and practicing outside and acclimating to the weather, it makes a big difference," Ryan Day said on Monday. "We'll be out there today. It's like playing in the playoffs. Talk to them about being in Kansas City or up in Lambeau (Field) or Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game. I mean, that's what it's all about is playing these types of games in December."
With projected winds of roughly 10 miles per hour, the "feels like" temperature is expected to fall to 20 degrees or lower in the Shoe. The feels like temperature for the Ohio State-Michigan game was in the low 20s with a real temperature in the high 20s.
That contest didn't go at all how the Buckeyes wished it had, a 13-10 upset win for the Wolverines in their fourth straight rivalry victory over Ohio State. But it was cold-weather experience nonetheless, and the team has been practicing outdoors since to prepare for their first-round contest.
"It's cold out here, so I don't think that that's a worry for us," quarterback Will Howard said. "We practice in the cold. I guess you could say we've had a little more practice in the cold just because I think, honestly, this year just didn't really get that cold (here) until maybe the (Team) Up North game. I don't think there's anything in particular. But we practice in it every single day. I've played in very cold conditions. So it's something we're used to."
That's not to say Tennessee won't also be prepared for the cold. The Volunteers' last game at Vanderbilt featured temperatures that dipped into the low 30s, and they won 36-23. Tennessee has been practicing outdoors in preparation, and it even snowed in Knoxville during one of the team's practices leading up to its clash with Ohio State.
While the Volunteers and Buckeyes have similarly elite run defenses to handle the cold, Tennessee also features the nation's No. 9 rushing offense (232 yards per game) whereas Ohio State is just 59th (169.2).
“Not sure what the temperature will be up there at night,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said on Dec. 8. “(I) know it won't be sunny and 85. We played in 30-degree weather a week ago. For us, a lot of our practices are in the morning. We're outside, it'll be similar temperatures to what you're going to get up there. Our guys got to be able to handle anything that comes at them. That's weather, it's outside distractions, it's us getting ready to go be our best 11-on-11 between the white lines and we'll be ready to handle that and operate at a high level.”
Then again, the Volunteers did require heaters on the sidelines in 55-degree temperatures at Georgia earlier this season, a game they lost 31-17.
— Troy Doseck (@troy_doseck) December 15, 2024
Regardless of what the weather is exactly for the first round of the CFP, Day and his team are excited for the stage, particularly in front of the home crowd.
"Here we are, and our guys are excited about it and excited about being at home," Day said. "And I think they're excited about the weather, too, because we've been practicing it now for a few weeks."
Ohio State vs. Tennessee is scheduled for an 8 p.m. kickoff and will be televised by ABC and ESPN.
