The College Football Playoff is coming to Columbus! Ohio State will host Tennessee on Saturday, December 21 at 8 p.m. in the first round of the CFP. This will be the first December home game in the 100+ year history of Ohio Stadium. It's estimated to generate $12 million in direct visitor spending as fans flock to Columbus for the game. The two historic programs will meet for only the second time ever, following the 1996 Citrus Bowl where the Vols topped the Buckeyes 20-14.
 

When is it?

Saturday, December 21 at 8 p.m. under the lights at Ohio Stadium. It will air on ABC and ESPN. The other three First Round games will be played the same weekend.

  • December 20 at 8 p.m. | Indiana vs. Notre Dame on ABC and ESPN
  • December 21 at 12 p.m. | SMU vs. Penn State on TNT
  • December 21 at 4 p.m. | Clemson vs. Texas on TNT
     

The top four seeds earned a bye - Oregon, Georgia, Arizona State and Clemson.

 

How do I get Tickets?

Tickets went on sale to the general public on December 12 at 10 a.m. and quickly sold out. There are still some available on the official resale market here. Head to our official Columbus sports Fan Guide for more information on parking, transportation and recommended pre-game and post-game bars and restaurants.

 

Where can I Watch?

If you can't make it to Ohio Stadium, we shared a few of our favorite places to watch the game on this post.

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Who will Ohio State Play if they Win?

The winner of the No. 9 Tennessee vs. No. 8 Ohio State game will face No. 1 Oregon in the Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2025.
 

How has Ohio State Done in the CFP?

The Buckeyes are the only team in the country to make the College Football Playoff in four of the last six seasons. The previous three appearances in that time were in the four-team CFP era, in 2019, 2020 and 2022. Here are their finishes across all CFP appearances since 2014:

  • 2014: Champions
  • 2016: Semifinalist
  • 2019: Semifinalist
  • 2020: Runner-up
  • 2022: Semifinalist
     

College Football Playoff 101

The College Football Playoff started in 2014, succeeding the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) that existed from 1998 to 2013. The BCS rankings determined the top two teams that would play for a National Championship as well as who would make other major college football bowls - Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.

The College Football Playoff doubled the number of teams that could compete for a National Championship from two to four, with two semifinal games preceding the National Championship. In its inaugural year, No. 4 seeded Ohio State beat Alabama 42-35 in the semifinal at the Sugar Bowl, then won the National Championship 42-20 over Oregon at AT&T Stadium.

After eleven seasons with four teams making the Playoff, the field expanded to 12 teams for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. So if this feels new to you, you're right, it's a new format for everyone. The top four seeds earned byes to the quarterfinals. Seeds 5-8 host First Round games at their home stadiums vs. seeds 9-12. These will be the first time a home campus will host a College Football Playoff game.