Tennessee is heading on the road for its first-round College Football Playoff matchup. Tennessee will play Ohio State in Columbus in its first-round game in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
As a reward for winning all of their home games, something Ohio State didn't do, the Vols have been dealt the toughest road to a National Championship, including a first-round road game and a trip out West if they move on to the quarterfinals.
Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White doesn't seem to be happy with the committee's decision to reward Ohio State for losing at home to a below-average Michigan team. After the final rankings were released Sunday afternoon, White posted a short message to X to signal his displeasure with the committee.
— Danny White (@AD_DannyWhite) December 8, 2024
He's clearly not happy with Tennessee's spot in the final rankings, and he joins thousands of Tennessee fans who are also upset that Ohio State isn't being punished for losing in the same way SEC teams have been punished under the new College Football Playoff format.
It's clear the committee's rankings up to this point were biased toward the Big Ten, and the committee continues to reward Big Ten teams with favorable rankings and matchups.
The CFP's format also punishes Tennessee with the auto-bid structure. Teams should be rewarded for winning their conference championships, but it's hard to argue that Boise State or Arizona State deserve a better spot in the playoff than Tennessee.
Tennessee will play Ohio State in a few weeks on December 21 in the Horseshoe for a spot in the quarterfinals and a trip to the Rose Bowl to play Oregon.