Tennessee fans promise to make their presence known today in Columbus, Ohio, for the Vols' College Football Playoff game at Ohio State. And they're not afraid to take a big jab at the Buckeyes in a very, very sore spot.
Brittany Bailey, an anchor for WBIR in Knoxville, Tenn., found a large group of Vols faithful tailgating with a large inflatable Michigan block 'M,' prominently displaying the Ohio-equivalent of a scarlet letter as they sang a rousing rendition of "Rocky Top."
I mean, they didn’t nickname it Neyland North for nothing! 👀🍊 #GBO @wbir pic.twitter.com/hlqw0qkeIP
— Brittany Bailey (@BrittBaileyTV) December 21, 2024
Ohio State's rivalry week loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes' hated rival, eliminated Ryan Day's team for Big Ten championship contention and ultimately set up this tough No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed matchup in Columbus.
Tennessee will hope to recreate some of the on-field conditions that led to that Buckeyes loss. The Vols, like the Wolverines, field a ferocious defense and can pound the ball with one of the nation's best backs in Dylan Sampson. And where quarterback was an issue all season for Michigan, Tennessee has big-armed freshman Nico Iamaleava under center.
We won't know for a few more hours just how many Vols fans have made the trip up north for what promises to be a frigid game at The Shoe, but there have been rumblings about impressive ticket sales for the road team.
Plenty have been tailgating outside of Ohio Stadium for much of the day.
Vols to the Wall pic.twitter.com/a2uXT8tel2
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) December 21, 2024
Ohio State vs. Tennessee is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tennessee Fans Troll Ohio State, Sing 'Rocky Top' With Giant Michigan 'M' in Columbus.
