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Tennessee vs. Ohio State Parlay Picks & Predictions: CFP Round 1 SGP Odds

Mike Spector

Last Updated: December 21, 2024 2:00 PM EST • 3 min 27 sec read.

Tennessee defensive back Will Brooks stops Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia as we make our Tennessee vs. Ohio State parlay picks.
Tennessee defensive back Will Brooks (35) stops Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2). Photo by Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

The Tennessee Volunteers and Ohio State Buckeyes play in the final of four College Football Playoff first-round matchups, with the winner moving on to face the Oregon Ducks.

  • Tennessee is making its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance
  • This is Ohio State’s second time being favored in a College Football Playoff game (it lost its only other time as a favorite, 31-0, to Clemson)
  • The Buckeyes won the only other meeting between these schools, 20-14, in the 1996 Citrus Bowl

Our Tennessee vs. Ohio State parlay picks for the first round of the College Football Playoff back three plays that would net $45 in profits on a $10 wager if they all hit at our best sportsbooks.

Our college football bowl game opt-out tracker has you covered with the latest opt-out news and the impact on the college bowl game odds. 

Tennessee vs. Ohio State parlay predictions: College Football Playoff

College football picks based on the odds from our best college football betting sites.

  • Tennessee +7.5 (-120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Ohio State team total Under 28.5 points (-150) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Nico Iamaleava anytime touchdown scorer (+230) ⭐⭐

Combined odds: +450 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 18.18%

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SGP predictions for Tennessee vs. Ohio State

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Tennessee +7.5 (-120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ohio State’s offense was the main unit to blame for its last loss to Michigan. Quarterback Will Howard mustered just 175 passing yards and 5.3 yards per attempt against a Wolverines defense that was without its best cornerback, Will Johnson.

Tennessee should expose Ohio State’s reshuffled offensive line. The Volunteers also boast the power running game with Dylan Sampson — who has rushed for 100-plus yards in all but two games this season — to battle the frigid elements in Columbus, Ohio.

Tennessee figures to be competitive early, as head coach Josh Heupel is 30-9-1 against the spread in the first half in away or neutral site games throughout his career. In addition, Ohio State has kicked off with a total lower than 50 points six times this year, and the Under has cashed in all six.

Thus, in what I expect to be a low-scoring affair, I will back the underdogs getting more than a touchdown at the best college football betting sites.

Ohio State team total Under 28.5 points (-150) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tennessee only allowed 29 or more points on one occasion this season, on the road at Georgia in a 31-17 loss.

The Volunteers ranked joint-fourth in the country in scoring defense (13.9 points per game allowed) and were the SEC’s second-best defense against the pass (178.7 passing yards per game allowed).

Tennessee ranks in the top 10 in the country in pressure rate, and James Pearce alone has 52 pressures. The Volunteers’ ability to get pressure with a four-man pass rush will help them cover Ohio State’s talented wide receiver group.

Nico Iamaleava anytime touchdown scorer (+230) ⭐⭐

Dylan Sampson ranks tied for third among all FBS running backs with 22 rushing touchdowns. While Ohio State has spent much of the last two weeks trying to game plan to stop him, I think Heupel is using that to his advantage.

Nico Iamaleava has thrown just one interception since October, so Heupel will likely be comfortable putting the ball in his quarterback’s hands early and often. 

Iamaleava has long been due for positive regression from a rushing touchdown standpoint, as he has just one rushing score on the season, despite running for at least 30 yards five times this year.

Whether it is via a “tush push” or a zone read that he keeps with the defense’s eyes focused on Sampson, backing Iamaleave to score beefs up this same-game parlay payout at FanDuel considerably.

College Football Playoff expert picks

Tennessee vs. Ohio State live odds

See all of this week's college football odds and NCAAF scores.

College Football Playoff game info

  • When: Saturday, Dec. 21
  • Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
  • Where: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
  • How to watch: ABC/ESPN
  • Weather: 22 degrees, 1% chance of precipitation, wind 5 mph N
  • Favorite: Ohio State -7.5 (-105 via BetMGM)

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Written By:
Mike Spector
Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”