Jake Trotter, ESPN Senior Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith dashed past the Tennessee defense for a 37-yard touchdown on the opening drive then high-fived Ohio State fans near the tunnel. Moments later, OSU linebacker Cody Simon delivered a hit on Nico Iamaleava so thunderous, it left the Volunteers quarterback with a cracked helmet.
Ohio State jumped to a three-touchdown lead in the first quarter and never looked back on the way to a resounding 42-17 win in the first round of the College Football Playoff, bouncing back from the crushing home loss to Michigan three weeks prior.
“Proud of the way they responded,” said Ryan Day, who notched his first victory over an SEC opponent as Ohio State’s head coach. “You could tell from the jump they had a look in their eye that they were going to win this game.”
Ohio State didn’t just win. With the outside pressure on Day and the Buckeyes mounting following a fourth consecutive loss to the Wolverines, Ohio State throttled the Vols for its largest victory over an SEC foe, eclipsing the previous record of 20 points set against Vanderbilt 91 years ago, according to ESPN Research.
“We did a hell of a job not letting off the gas,” said Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard, who played only five snaps in the fourth quarter before giving way to the backups. “We could’ve let that become a game. Being able to keep the foot on the pedal was huge.”
Howard set the tone, rebounding from his worst game this season with arguably his best.
He threw two picks in Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan, as the Buckeyes failed to score in the second half for the first time in 13 years.
On Saturday night, Howard completed 24 of 29 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 37 yards as Ohio State led 42-10 early in the fourth quarter before substituting out its starters.
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly noted that Howard was so dialed in, the quarterback was calling out plays before Kelly could finish sending them in.
“The credit goes to the players,” Kelly said. “They were awesome. They were clicking on all cylinders.”
After catching only one pass — for just 3 yards — after halftime against Michigan, Smith was virtually unguardable against the Vols. He finished with a game-high 103 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions, including a 22-yard scoring grab on the first drive of the second half.
“He’s the dude, man,” Howard said of Smith. “I think he’s the best receiver in the country. You see what the kid does with the ball in his hands. He’s just everything you want in a teammate and a receiver.”
Running back TreVeyon Henderson led the Buckeyes on the ground, rushing for 80 yards and two touchdowns while adding 54 yards receiving.
Defensively, Ohio State didn’t allow Iamaleava to complete a pass until the 9:36 mark in the second quarter. By that point, the Buckeyes were in command with a 21-0 lead.
“These guys have a lot of pride,” Day said. “I think this said a lot about who our guys are to be able to respond like that in a big way.”
The response set up a rematch with Big Ten champion and No. 1 seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. The Ducks defeated the Buckeyes 32-31 in Eugene on Oct. 12. After Saturday’s game, ESPN BET opened Ohio State as a one-point favorite over Oregon. The Ducks covered as 3.5-point underdogs in that October matchup.
Smith and Howard both made crucial mistakes on the final drive of that loss at Oregon. Smith was flagged for offensive pass interference, which pushed the Buckeyes out of field goal range. Then, on the game’s final play, Howard slid following a scramble as time expired, preventing Ohio State from attempting that potential game-winning field goal.
“Yeah, I’m excited, man,” Howard said of facing the Ducks again. “It’s going to be a heck of an opportunity for all of us. We’ve all been looking forward to this one and for another crack at [those] guys. The way that last one ended doesn’t sit right with me. It still bugs me.”
