Even though Tennessee is playing more than 350 miles away from Knoxville, the Vols might just feel right at home in Columbus for their first-round College Football Playoff game against Ohio State.
Less than an hour ahead of kickoff against the Buckeyes, plenty of Tennessee orange has flooded into Ohio Stadium.
Photos and videos posted by reporters in attendance show large clusters of Tennessee fans spread throughout the upper and lower bowls.
Ohio State even gave Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland Marching Band a spot near one of the end zones. During pregame warmups, the Pride played “Rocky Top,” Tennessee’s unofficial fight song, and it was not hard to hear Vols fans singing along.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork expressed concern earlier in the week about Tennessee fans and their ability to travel for away games.
“What we need Buckeyes to do is wear scarlet, don’t sell your tickets, because Tennessee fans are rabid fans,” Bjork said during an appearance on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus. “They will invade the Shoe, so let’s make sure there’s not as much orange in there.”
Tennessee may need all the help it can get to pull off a road upset. Both of the Vols’ losses came outside the friendly confines of Neyland Stadium this season, including a 19-14 defeat against unranked Arkansas.
