The College Football Playoff has gifted the Ohio State football team a new life. If this were last year, losing a fourth-straight game to Michigan would mean the end of the season and maybe any questions about the program’s future would already be answered.

The No. 9 Vols (10-2) play at No. 8 Ohio State (10-2) on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC) in the first round of the CFP at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The winner will face No. 1 Oregon (13-0) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 1.