Early weather forecast for Tennessee vs. Ohio State gives Buckeyes historic advantage
We're going to find out if the weather greatly impacts how a southern team plays a northern team. The Ohio State Buckeyes will be at a unique advantage in starting the College Football Playoff if history is to be believed. The Tennessee Volunteers haven't been in this situation since 1950. And that situation is cold […]
We're going to find out if the weather greatly impacts how a southern team plays a northern team. The Ohio State Buckeyes will be at a unique advantage in starting the College Football Playoff if history is to be believed. The Tennessee Volunteers haven't been in this situation since 1950.
And that situation is cold weather. The current extended forecast for the Volunteers' trip to Columbus on December 21 is quite cold. It's not Ice Bowl cold or even as bad as it was for the Miami Dolphins' trip to Kansas City last January, but it's colder than most high schoolers and college kids have played in.
The high of 33 and low of 23 degrees include a real temperature of 17 degrees, considerable cloudiness, low wind, and a small chance of snow.
Tennessee's coldest game since 1977 was their 2015 win against Missouri. The Volunteers prevailed 19-8 in Gary Finkle's home finale and beat Drew Lock's Tigers. The cold weather wasn't the enemy that evening, even if it was 28 degrees at kickoff and dipped lower as it continued.
Before that, Tennessee beat Kentucky in 1950, with the temperature reportedly being around 10 degrees.
Obviously, these rosters have changed significantly, and the past has no bearing on what could happen in the future. Even recruiting has changed wildly since 2015, especially since the 1970s. Regional recruiting has become national, and the Buckeyes are filled with southern athletes like Tennessee.
The coldest game in Ohio State football history occurred on November 25, 1950, during the notorious "Snow Bowl" against Michigan.
Held at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, this match is famous for the freezing temperatures and the severe weather conditions. With temperatures around 10°F (-12°C) and wind gusts reaching 40 mph, a heavy snowstorm blanketed the field, severely impacting visibility and movement.
The harsh conditions forced both teams to abandon traditional strategies and rely primarily on punts and field position tactics. Remarkably, Michigan claimed victory with a score of 9-3 despite not achieving a single first down.
Ohio State's only points came from a field goal, while Michigan took advantage of a blocked punt to score the critical touchdown.
