Ohio State football star wideout Jeremiah Smith is generating buzz with a social media post hyping up the Buckeyes' clash against Tennessee. The College Football Playoff showdown will pit two historic programs against each other in “The Horseshoe.”

Despite the fallout from the loss against Michigan, Ryan Day has a chance to prove himself in this 12-team bracket. The Buckeyes will have to go through a gauntlet to win the title, and Smith and safety Caleb Downs showcased that this team is ready to shock the nation.

In Smith's post, the two All-Americans donned the Buckeyes' all-scarlet gear. Both players will be key in Ohio State's run for redemption, which starts in Columbus on Dec. 21.

It's a brand-new season for the Ohio State football

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) celebrates an interception during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Michigan won 13-10.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee will be the fourth team Ohio State will play that is in this year's College Football Playoff. The other three teams the Buckeyes have faced include No. 1 Oregon, No. 4 Penn State, and No. 8 Indiana.

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If they emerge victorious in Columbus, Ryan Day and company will face the Ducks in the quarterfinals. Ohio State has been itching for a rematch against Oregon after their close affair at Autzen Stadium.

Should the Buckeyes get revenge at the Rose Bowl, they could face No. 3 Texas and then No. 2 Georgia. Of course, the national championship game is in the Bulldogs' backyard in Atlanta. The path certainly is not easy! But that's the reality of this new format and the consequences of Ohio State's loss to Michigan.

Still, the Buckeyes wouldn't have this chance at redemption if there was a four-team playoff. The team will ultimately need their two most dynamic players on offense and defense to be at their best going forward.

Jeremiah Smith has made history throughout his freshman year in Columbus. The 6'3, 215-lb wideout is a matchup nightmare that quarterback Will Howard can rely on heavily in red-zone situations.

Caleb Downs has similarly had a phenomenal season. The Alabama transfer has followed his stellar freshman year in Tuscaloosa with an impressive 2024 in Columbus. By the end of the regular season, Downs racked up the following accolades: Consensus All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year.

Overall, Ohio State has plenty to play for over these next few weeks. Ryan Day's team must use the home crowd and expected cold weather to pull away from an elite Tennessee team. Dec. 21 could be the start of something special or the end of a disappointing season in Columbus.