What is the Ohio State path to the national championship?

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is officially in the first 12-team College Football Playoff, and the Buckeyes will host a first-round matchup in the Horseshoe.

Yes, after a 10-2 regular season that included wins over both No. 10 Indiana and No. 6 Penn State, the Buckeyes earned the right to host a first-round game. They’ll play No. 9 seed Tennessee on Dec. 21 at 8 p.m.

This team has national championship aspirations. And as one of the most talented teams in the country, the goal should be to win the whole thing.

Now that the bracket has been revealed and the path to a title is in front of the Buckeyes, Lettermen Row is breaking down the path for Ohio State to win the national championship, where it will have to play and which teams it will face if it keeps winning games through the CFP. Let’s dive in.

First-round matchup

Date: Dec. 21, 8 p.m.

Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

Opponent: Tennessee

Quarterfinal matchup

Date: Jan. 1, 5 p.m.

Location: Pasadena, California

Potential opponent: Oregon

If Ohio State manages to win the first-round home game against the Volunteers, the Buckeyes will move on to face No. 1 seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

The Ducks won the Big Ten after an emphatic 45-37 win over Penn State in the conference title game.

Potential semifinal matchups

Date: Jan. 9 or 10

Location: Orange or Cotton Bowl

Potential opponents: Clemson, Texas, Arizona State

If Ohio State can manage to win two games in the College Football Playoff, it will move on to the Cotton or Orange Bowl — the two CFP semifinal games.

The Buckeyes would play one of Clemson, Texas or Arizona State in the Cotton or Orange Bowl semifinal on Jan. 9 or 10 for a trip to Atlanta for the national championship on the line.

National title game

Date: Jan. 20

Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Potential opponents: Georgia, Boise State, Notre Dame, Penn State, SMU, Indiana