Tennessee and Ohio State are set to face off in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The No. 8 seed Buckeyes (10-2) will play the No. 9 seed Vols (10-2) in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 21 (8 p.m., ABC or ESPN).
The winner of the Ohio State-Tennessee game advances to play top-seeded Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The Buckeyes and Vols have met only once before, during the 1996 Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida which resulted in a 20-14 Tennessee victory. The stakes are much higher this time around for the two teams.
Traveling to the Buckeye State to catch the game? Here’s what you should know.
How far is it from Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville to Columbus, Ohio?
The 478-mile journey from Nashville to Columbus would take around 5 hours and 30 minutes, according to Google Maps, by car. If you’re leaving from Knoxville the drive is approximately the same, taking you straight up Interstate 75 through Cincinnati, then onto Interstate 71.
If you’re leaving from Memphis, however, the drive time extends to nearly nine hours. According to Google Maps, the West Tennessee city is 588 miles from Columbus.
Here’s what each route would look like:
Nashville, Tennessee to Columbus, Ohio
Knoxville, Tennessee to Columbus, Ohio
Memphis, Tennessee to Columbus, Ohio
How much are plane tickets from Nashville to Columbus, Ohio?
While driving would be more economical, there are options if you’d rather fly to Ohio.
A roundtrip flight from Nashville International Airport to John Glenn Columbus International Airport departing on Dec. 21 and returning Dec. 22, averages about $533, with plane tickets available through United, American and Southwest Airlines.
Where to park near Ohio Stadium in Columbus
Parking can be found for Ohio State football game days in the Buckeye Lots, as well as on West Campus and High Street. All of these lots are first-come, first-served with a $25-$30 price range.
Fans parking on West Campus can use the complimentary shuttle from the Mount Hall Loop to Coffey Road Park near the edge of the Woody Hayes Bridge. The shuttle will operate from six hours prior to kickoff until one hour after the game ends, according to Ohio State University Transportation and Traffic Management.
A map of where to park at Ohio State is available at osu.campusparc.com.
Hotels near the Ohio State football stadium
There are many convenient hotels near Ohio State University and downtown Columbus. Options include the Sonesta Columbus Downtown, Staybridge Suites, Comfort Suites, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and more, as recommended by Booking.com.
Accommodations for a two-night stay for two adults range from $183 – $497, although it is recommended to book ahead of time as prices are likely to increase.
Playoff tickets for students: Tennessee football playoff ticket prices are very affordable for students
How to buy tickets for Tennessee football vs. Ohio
As previously reported by the Knoxville News Sentinel, a small portion of tickets will be available to Tennessee season-ticket holders. Tickets for season ticket holders go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 11 through Ticketmaster. The general public will be able to purchase tickets on Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. also through Ticketmaster.
Most fans will have rely on secondary markets to snag tickets to the playoff game. To see a full list of ticket prices, visit Vivid Seats, StubHub, SeatGeek and TickPick.
Contributing: Knoxville News Sentinel
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee football vs Ohio. How far is Nashville from Columbus, Ohio?
