Tennessee vs. Ohio State Prediction & Odds: College Football Playoff

The first round of the College Football Playoff will conclude with the biggest game of the weekend when the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) welcome the Tennessee Volunteers (10-2) at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.

These two teams can play spoiler, as the winner will face No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes are favored by more than a touchdown, but can the Volunteers deliver an upset during their first trip to the College Football Playoff?

Here is a look at the latest Tennessee vs. Ohio State college football odds and my prediction for Saturday’s showdown:

Tennessee vs. Ohio State Odds, Dec. 21

• Point spread: Ohio State -7.5 (-110)
• Total: 46.5

Tennessee vs. Ohio State Prediction – Saturday, Dec. 21

Based on the latest college football betting lines at the BetMGM online sportsbook, my Tennessee vs. Ohio State prediction is to back the underdog (+7.5) because the Vols are undervalued against the Buckeyes.

This is just the second time that Tennessee has been an underdog all year. Here are the other two examples:

• +7.5 at Georgia (Lost, 31-17)
• +3.5 vs. Alabama (Won, 24-17)

Saturday’s line being identical to the closing number against Georgia doesn’t sit right with me, especially considering Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava was dealing with an injury at the time. The freshman signal-caller is healthy and has ranked 13th in PFF’s passing grade since Week 8.

With Iamaleava trending in the right direction and Tennessee’s defensive line capable of overwhelming Ohio State’s offensive line, I like the idea of betting on the Vols (+7.5) in a game they could win outright.

Prediction: Tennessee +7.5