The Ohio State Buckeyes have opened the College Football Playoffs and sent an important signal right from the start.

On the first drive of the game, Ohio State marched right down the field for a touchdown. They were helped by a facemask penalty on a third down play and then moved on.

To cap the drive, Will Howard found star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for a massive 37-yard touchdown pass.

Check out the dynamic play to start the Buckeyes’ playoff run for yourself:

That’s exactly how Ohio State needed to start tonight’s game. Joining the Tennessee Volunteers was crucial. The quick return to the first series after the loss at Michigan was also huge.

With so many Tennessee fans in the building, it was also important to calm them down quickly.

This is of course just the beginning. The Buckeyes still have a lot of work to do to get the win tonight. No one should expect volunteers to give up at some point despite the deficit.

That being said, Ohio State fans should be very excited about what they saw on the first drive of the game. If the offense can keep playing like it has in this series, they will be able to score some points and give themselves a good chance to win.

Hopefully Ryan Day and the team are up to the challenge. So far there is a lot of reason for optimism.

The Buckeyes also have to play strong on defense. If they can put pressure on the quarterback and limit the big plays, they will be in a good position.

Expect some ups and downs as the game progresses. After all, it is the College Football Playoff.