College football is basically a religion in two specific spots on the map: Columbus and Knoxville. When you talk about Ohio State Buckeyes football vs Tennessee Volunteers football, you aren't just talking about a game. You're talking about two of the most massive, stadium-shaking brands in the sport finally colliding after decades of avoiding each other.
Honestly, it’s kind of weird how little these two have played. For most of the 20th century, they were like ships in the night. Then the 2024 College Football Playoff happened, and everything changed.
The Night the Shoe Shook
Remember December 21, 2024? It was freezing. Ohio Stadium—the legendary "Shoe"—was absolute chaos. It was the first round of the new playoff format. Number 9 Tennessee rolled into town to face Number 8 Ohio State. People thought it would be a shootout. It wasn't.
Ohio State basically punched Tennessee in the mouth from the opening kickoff. Will Howard, who some fans were still unsure about at that point, looked like a surgeon. He found Jeremiah Smith for a 37-yard touchdown almost immediately. Smith, by the way, is a literal human cheat code. By the time the first quarter ended, the Buckeyes were up 21-0.
Tennessee tried to make it a game. Nico Iamaleava, the Vols' young star, showed some serious grit. He led a 16-play drive that cut the lead to 21-10 before halftime. But the second half was just a repeat. Buckeyes running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson were just too much for the Vols' front seven. The final score was 42-17. It was a statement. Ohio State went on to win the National Championship that season, and that win over Tennessee was the spark.
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Why This Matchup Still Matters in 2026
You’d think one blowout would kill the hype. Nope. If anything, it’s made the tension worse. These two programs are currently fighting over the same elite recruits in the 2026 class. Just a couple of months ago, in November 2025, Ohio State pulled off a massive recruiting heist.
They flipped four-star athlete Legend Bey from Tennessee.
That hurt. Bey had been a Vol commit since the summer. Then he visited Columbus for the Penn State game and jumped ship. Tennessee fans are still salty about it, and honestly, can you blame them? The Vols are building something special under Josh Heupel, but the Buckeyes under Ryan Day are acting like the "Final Boss" of college football right now.
Breaking Down the History
Believe it or not, before that 2024 playoff game, Tennessee actually had the upper hand. In the 1995 Citrus Bowl, the Vols won 20-14. Peyton Manning was the quarterback for Tennessee back then! It took nearly 30 years for Ohio State to get their revenge.
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Historically, here is how the series looks:
- Total Meetings: 6 (officially tracked across major eras)
- Record: Ohio State leads 5-1
- Most Recent: Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17 (Dec 2024)
The Battle of the New Era
What makes this matchup fascinating is how similar the two schools are. Both have massive stadiums—Neyland and The Shoe—that hold over 100,000 people. Both have high-octane offenses.
Tennessee's Joey Aguilar has been a revelation lately, throwing for over 300 yards in huge SEC wins. Meanwhile, Ohio State is just a factory of NFL talent. Jeremiah Smith finished sixth in the Heisman voting as a sophomore in 2025. That’s insane. He’s the first pure receiver to hit the top 10 since Marvin Harrison Jr.
The rivalry is moving from the field to the recruiting trail. Tennessee is currently bragging about having the best quarterback commit in the nation for 2026, while Ohio State is hoarding five-star wide receivers like they're going out of style.
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What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of people think the Big Ten and the SEC are totally different worlds. They aren't anymore. With the way the transfer portal works, these rosters are constantly mixing. Ohio State’s defense has become just as "SEC-style" as anyone’s.
If you're looking for the next time these two might meet, keep your eyes on the 2026 playoff projections. Both teams are ranked in the top 10. Tennessee’s defense is much improved since that 2024 collapse, and the Buckeyes are trying to prove they can repeat as champions.
To really stay ahead of the curve on this matchup, you should track the 2026 recruiting rankings daily. The battle for Legend Bey was just the start; there are three more top-50 players considering both schools right now. Watching how Heupel tries to close the gap on Ryan Day's roster depth is basically the best reality show on TV. If Tennessee can land one more elite pass rusher, the 25-point gap from their last meeting could disappear overnight.
Keep an eye on the injury reports for spring ball. How Nico Iamaleava handles the pressure this season will determine if the Vols can finally get that second win over the Buckeyes when it matters most.