Ohio State routs Tennessee in College Football Playoff - ESPN

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