Tennessee College Football Playoff First Round Kickoff Time and TV Info Announced
Tennessee Volunteers are gearing up to face Ohio State in an epic showdown for the College Football Playoff on Saturday, December 21. The game is set for kickoff at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The winner of this exciting matchup will go head-to-head against the formidable No. 1 Oregon team in the Rose Bowl on January 1, starting at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, airing on the same networks.
But before Tennessee hits the field, there are some thrilling games to watch out for. The College Football Playoff kicks off on Friday, December 20, with No. 10 Indiana facing No. 7 Notre Dame at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN. The action-packed triple-header on Saturday includes No. 11 SMU versus No. 6 Penn State at Noon ET followed by No. 12 Clemson taking on No. 5 Texas at 4 p.m., to be aired on TNT and streamed on HBO Max.
The top-ranked conference champions like No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Boise State, and No. 4 Arizona State have received byes into the quarterfinals. Georgia is set to play the winner of Indiana-Notre Dame match in the Sugar Bowl, while Boise State will take on the SMU-Penn State victor in the Fiesta Bowl. Arizona State awaits the winner between Clemson and Texas in the Peach Bowl.
For Tennessee fans eager to catch the game, here’s how to watch:
– Start Time: Saturday, December 21, 8 p.m. Eastern Time
– TV: Tune into ABC/ESPN
– Streaming: Watch on the ESPN App
– Radio: Listen in on WNML-FM 99.1 in Knoxville where you can catch Bob Kesling, Pat Ryan, Brent Hubbs, and Jayson Swain. For those outside Knoxville, the Vol Network radio broadcast will be available on local affiliates across Tennessee.
In a historic move, this playoff will be the first after its recent expansion, with the quarterfinals set to take place on December 31 and January 1 in the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Sugar Bowl. The semifinals will follow on January 9 and January 10 in the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl, with the National Championship Game scheduled for Monday, January 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
As for Tennessee, their remarkable journey to the College Football Playoff began with a nail-biting 36-23 win at Vanderbilt, finishing a spectacular 10-2 regular season. After a strong start, their only road bump came in a 19-14 loss to Arkansas. However, they recovered swiftly, securing wins against Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, and Mississippi State at home, before wrapping up the regular season with a dominant 56-0 victory over UTEP.
The Vols clinched the ninth spot in the projected bracket following a series of wins and setbacks, ultimately earning their spot in the official bracket setting. With a strong lineup and a remarkable season behind them, Tennessee heads to face Ohio State in a thrilling face-off that fans won’t want to miss.
