College Football Playoff notebook: Tennessee’s Andre Turrentine returns to Ohio State

Tennessee’s Andre Turrentine is heading back to familiar territory as the Volunteers face off against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. Turrentine, a safety for Tennessee, spent his freshman year at Ohio State, playing in four games for the Buckeyes in 2021 before joining the Vols ¹.

As he returns to Ohio Stadium, Turrentine is looking forward to reconnecting with his former teammates. “I know a lot of guys on that team, so just having that brotherhood and camaraderie from being a freshman there is going to be big in this game and big for me personally,” he said ¹.

Turrentine has been a key player for Tennessee this season, starting all 12 games and racking up 35 tackles and one interception. His experience playing for Ohio State could give him an edge in this matchup, as he’s familiar with the Buckeyes’ playbook and strategies ¹.

In other College Football Playoff news, No. 7 Notre Dame is gearing up to face off against No. 10 Indiana, with quarterback Riley Leonard excited to play for a national championship. “It’s huge for the state of Indiana. We’ve been talking about it becoming a football state,” he said ¹.

Meanwhile, No. 6 Penn State is preparing to host No. 11 SMU, with the Nittany Lions looking to build on their strong running game. “Our expectation is that that’s what we’re supposed to do every single game,” said Penn State center Nick Dawkins ¹.

*College Football Playoff Matchups:*

– _No. 9 Tennessee vs. No. 8 Ohio State_: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN

– _No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Indiana_: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN

– _No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 SMU_: Saturday, TBD

– _No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Clemson_: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, TNT/MAX ¹