Ohio State Buckeyes football

The Ohio State Buckeyes football team represents the Ohio State University in American football. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The 102,780 person capacity Ohio Stadium, located on campus in Columbus, has been the Buckeyes' home field since 1922.
The Buckeyes claim nine national championships including seven from the major wire-service selectors: AP Poll or Coaches' Poll. The program has also captured 41 conference championships, 10 division championships, and has compiled 10 undefeated seasons, including six perfect seasons. Seven players have received the Heisman Trophy, with the program holding the distinction of having the only two-time winner of the award.
As of 2025, the Ohio State football program was valued at $2–2.5 billion, the highest valuation of any such program in the country. Notable team symbols include the Brutus Buckeye mascot and two fight songs: "Across the Field" and "Buckeye Battle Cry". Ohio State's fiercest and most important rivalry is with the Michigan Wolverines.

WWW ohiostatebuckeyes.com/spo...R/ OhioStateFootball

History

Early history (1890–1950)

After early attempts at forming a team in 1886 and 1887, football was ultimately established at the university in 1890. On the site of the first OSU game, on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, on May 3, 1890, the Delaware County Historical Society has set a historical marker. Some histories of Ohio State football credit George Cole, an undergraduate, and Alexander S. Lilley with introducing the sport to the campus. More recent research has challenged that claim, stating that George Cole did not persuade Lilley to coach the football team until after its first full season began that fall. OSU's first home game took place at 2:30 p.m. on November 1, 1890. They played the University of Wooster on the site that was then called Recreation Park. Just east of historic German Village, the park occupied the north side of Schiller, between Ebner and Jaeger, in what is now Schumacher Place. OSU lost the game, 64–0. Over the next eight years, under a number of coaches, the team played to a cumulative record of 31 wins, 39 losses, and 2 ties. The first game against the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, was a 34–0 loss in 1897, a year that saw the low point in Buckeye football history with a 1–7–1 record. Jack Ryder was Ohio State's first paid coach, earning $150 per season, and lost his first game, against Oberlin College and John Heisman, on October 15, 1892. In 1899 the university hired John Eckstorm to bring professional coaching skills to the program and immediately went undefeated. In 1901, however, center John Sigrist was fatally injured in a game against Western Reserve University and the continuation of football at Ohio State was in serious question. Although the school's athletic board let the team decide its future, Eckstorm resigned. In 1912, football underwent a number of developments that included joining the Western Conference, making football as part of a new Department of Athletics, and hiring Lynn W. St. John to be athletic director.
Chic Harley attended East High in Columbus and was regarded as one of the greatest players to attend an Ohio high school. A well-rounded player, Harley came to Ohio State in 1916 and instantly became a fan favorite. Harley and the Buckeyes won the first Big Ten championship in school history in 1916, finishing 7–0. The team would repeat in 1917, finishing 8–0–1. In 1918, Harley left to be a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I. With Harley's return in 1919, the Buckeyes would only lose one game, to Illinois. Harley left OSU with a career record of 22–1–1. At the time, OSU played at the small Ohio Field and Harley brought such record crowds it became necessary to open Ohio Stadium in 1922. The stadium was built entirely on fan donations and several stadium drives around the city where Harley would often appear. In 1951, when the College Football Hall of Fame opened, Harley was inducted as an inaugural member. Ohio State's first rival was Kenyon College, a small liberal arts college in Gambier, roughly 50 miles to the northeast. The Buckeyes first played them in their first season in 1890 on Nov 27, Kenyon won the first two meetings; however, Ohio State won 15 in a row and the rivalry diminished. Kenyon made it their season goal to defeat OSU. After the Bucks joined the Big Ten they stopped playing Kenyon. The all-time record stands at 17–6, OSU. In hiring Francis Schmidt in March 1934 to coach its football team, Ohio State moved its program to a "big-time" level of competition. Schmidt was a well-established coach and an acknowledged offensive innovator. His offensive schemes were a "wide-open" style called "razzle-dazzle" and led him to be the first Buckeye football coach granted a multi-year contract. Schmidt's first four seasons saw victories over archrival Michigan, all by shutout. The 1935 squad went 7–1, its sole loss was to Notre Dame, 18–13, in the first contest between the programs. However, Schmidt's remaining seasons were less successful, except in 1939 when the Buckeyes won the Big Ten championship, and his popularity faded for a number of reasons. On December 17, 1940, he resigned.

Paul Brown era (1941–1943)

Ohio State hired the coach of Washington High School football team, Paul Brown, to succeed Schmidt. Brown's Tigers had just won their sixth straight state championship. Brown immediately changed Ohio State's style of offense, planned and organized his program in great detail, and delegated to his assistant coaches using highly structured practices.
In 1942, Ohio State lost 22 veteran players to military service as the United States joined World War II, and with a team of mostly sophomores, went on to lose only once in winning its first national championship. Brown accepted a commission in the United States Navy in 1944, ending his coaching run prior to the season.

Team in flux (1944–1950)

file:Les horvarth bowman card 1948.jpg|right|thumb|175px|Former Buckeyes QB/HB, 1942 National Champion, and 1944 Heisman Trophy winner Les Horvath
When Brown went into the Navy, he directed his assistant Carroll Widdoes to head the team in his absence. The 1944 team fielded 31 freshmen but went undefeated and untied, including a victory over Paul Brown's Great Lakes Navy team. Ohio State finished second in the national rankings behind Army and Les Horvath became the first Buckeye to be awarded the Heisman Trophy. Also prominent on the 1942–44 teams was the first Buckeye African American star, Bill Willis. Brown chose not to return to Ohio State after the war, going into professional football instead.
Widdoes, despite having the highest two-year winning percentage of any Buckeye coach, asked to return to an assistant's position. Offensive coordinator Paul Bixler and Widdoes switched positions, and Bixler endured a mediocre 4–3–2 season. Bixler resigned and talk of Ohio State being a "graveyard of coaches" became commonplace, a reputation that lingered for decades.
Wes Fesler became head coach in 1947 but finished last in the Big Ten for the only time in team history. Ohio State improved greatly in 1948, winning 6 and losing 3, then in 1949 enjoyed a successful season due to the play of sophomore Vic Janowicz. Ohio State received the Rose Bowl invitation, where they came from behind to defeat California.
In 1950, Fesler, rumored to be resigning because of pressures associated with the position and abuse of his family by anonymous critics, returned to coach the Buckeyes, who won six games in a row to move into the top ranking in the AP poll. However, the season fell apart as the Buckeyes lost to Michigan during a blizzard, a game that came to be known as the "Snow Bowl". Two weeks later, citing concerns about his health and family, Fesler resigned.

Woody Hayes era (1951–1978)

Early days

Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes beat out Paul Brown, among others, to be named head coach on February 18, 1951. He instituted a demanding practice regimen and was both aggressive and vocal in enforcing it, alienating many players accustomed to Fesler's laid-back style. The 1951 Buckeyes won 4, lost 3, and tied 2, leaving many to question the ability of the new coach. In 1952, the team improved to 6–3 and recorded their first victory over Michigan in eight years, but after a 1953 loss to Michigan, critics called for the replacement of Hayes. In 1954, the Buckeyes were picked to finish no higher than 10th in the Big Ten. Hayes, however, had the talents of Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, and a historic goal-line stand against Michigan propelled Ohio State to a perfect season. Hayes led the powerhouse Buckeyes to a shared national championship. In 1955 the team again won the Big Ten, set an attendance record, and won in Ann Arbor for the first time in 18 years, while Hopalong Cassady was securing the Heisman Trophy. Ohio State passed only three times against Michigan, leading to the characterization of Hayes' style of offensive play as "three yards and a cloud of dust". In a 1955 article in Sports Illustrated, Hayes admitted to making small personal loans to financially needy players. The article resulted in a furor over possible violations of NCAA rules, and the faculty council, followed by the Big Ten and NCAA, conducted lengthy investigations. Big Ten Commissioner Kenneth "Tug" Wilson found Hayes and the program guilty of violations and placed it on a year's probation in 1956.

Championship glory

In 1957, Ohio State won all of its remaining games after an opening loss to claim the Big Ten championship, then won the Rose Bowl over Oregon, and shared a national title with Auburn, for which Hayes was named Coach of the Year.
file:Howard Cassady.jpg|left|thumb|175px|Former Buckeyes running back/receiver, 1954 National Champion, and 1955 Heisman Trophy winner Howard "Hopalong" Cassady
In 1961, the team went undefeated to be named national champions by the FWAA but a growing conflict between academics and athletics over Ohio State's reputation as a "football school" resulted in a faculty council vote to decline an invitation to the Rose Bowl, resulting in much public protest and debate. Over the next 6 seasons, Ohio State finished no higher than 2nd and had a losing season in 1966, and public speculation that Hayes would be replaced as a coach grew to its highest point since 1953. In 1968, Ohio State defeated the number one-ranked Purdue Boilermakers and continued to an undefeated season including a 50–14 rout of Michigan and a Rose Bowl victory over the USC Trojans that resulted in the national championship. The Class of 1970 became known as the "super sophomores" in 1968 and might have gone on to three consecutive national championships except for what may have been the most bitter loss in Buckeye history. The winning streak reached 22 games as Ohio State traveled to Michigan. The Buckeyes were 17-point favorites but directed by first-year coach Bo Schembechler, Michigan shocked the Buckeyes in a 24–12 upset. The 1969 loss to Michigan initiated what came to be known as "The Ten Year War", in which the rivalry, which pitted some of OSU's and UM's strongest teams ever, rose to the uppermost level of all sports and the competition between Schembechler and Hayes became legendary. Four times between 1970 and 1975, Ohio State and Michigan were both ranked in the top five of the AP Poll before their matchup. The Wolverines entered every game during those years undefeated and won only once, a 10–7 victory in Ann Arbor on November 20, 1971. Both teams used the annual game as motivation for entire seasons and after the initial win by Michigan, played dead even at four wins and a tie apiece. Hayes had the upper hand during the first part of the war, in which Ohio State won the conference championship and went to the Rose Bowl four straight years, while Michigan won the final three. It was also an era in which through television Ohio State football again came to the forefront of national attention.
Hayes set the tone in spring practice in 1970, placing a rug at the entrance to the Buckeye dressing room emblazoned with the words: "1969 MICH 24 OSU 12 — 1970 MICH:__ OSU:__" as a constant reminder of their objective. The "super sophomores", now seniors, used a strong fullback-oriented offense to smash their way through the season undefeated, struggling only with Purdue the week before the Michigan game. The return match in Columbus found both teams undefeated and untied, a "first" in the history of the rivalry, with Michigan, ranked fourth and Ohio State fifth. Ohio State combined a powerful defense that held Michigan to only 37 yards rushing, a rushing offense employing two tight ends as blockers, and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Kern to Bruce Jankowski to win 20–9. The Buckeyes returned to the Rose Bowl to be upset by Stanford 27–17. The "super sophomores" had garnered a record of 27–2, the best winning percentage of any three-year period in team history, and won or shared the Big Ten title all three years. The National Football Foundation named Ohio State as a national co-champion, along with [1970 1970 Texas Longhorns football team|Texas Longhorns football team|Texas], for 1970 and awarded the teams joint possession of the MacArthur Bowl. 1971 was less successful than the preceding seasons, but the middle four years of the 10-year war saw the greatest success for Hayes against Michigan, although the teams fell short of repeating their 1968 national championship. Archie Griffin began his college football career in 1972, taking advantage of new NCAA eligibility rules that allowed freshmen to compete at the varsity level. In his second game, sent in against North Carolina late in the first quarter, Griffin set a new Buckeye rushing record with 239 yards and led the team in rushing for the season with 867.
The following season, Hayes installed an I-formation attack with Griffin at tailback and fellow sophomore Cornelius Greene at quarterback. The Buckeyes went undefeated with a powerful offense and impenetrable defense, achieving an average margin of victory of 31 points a game. The only blemish on their record was a 10–10 tie with Michigan after both teams had entered the game unbeaten. Despite soundly defeating defending national champion USC, however, the tie with Michigan resulted in the Buckeyes finishing second to Notre Dame in the final AP rankings. Griffin, Randy Gradishar, Van DeCree, and John Hicks were named All-Americans; Hicks, an offensive tackle, not only won both the Outland and Lombardi Trophies but placed second in the Heisman Trophy competition. 1974 and 1975 were seasons of both elation and frustration. The Buckeyes twice more defeated Michigan, and went to two Rose Bowls, but lost both. The 1974 team seemed bound for another national championship when it was derailed by a loss to unranked Michigan State, and the next year, the No. 1-ranked Bucks lost 23–10 to 11th-ranked UCLA in the 1976 Rose Bowl. In all, the Buckeyes were 40–5–1 from 1972 to 1975, winning the Big Ten all four years and never losing to Michigan, but it was the losses and ties that proved important to Ohio State missing out on achieving a national championship. At any rate, Archie Griffin rushed for 5,589 yards combined in his four seasons at Ohio State while winning the Heisman Trophy in 1974 and 1975.

Downfall

The falloff in the success of Hayes' last three years was not great. His teams forged records of 9–2–1, 9–3, and 7–4–1, and made bowl appearances in all three years. However, frustrations in losing three straight years to Michigan, and other factors, resulted in growing criticism of Hayes and his methods, particularly his on-the-field fits of temper. Even so, his downfall was sudden and shocking when, near the end of the nationally televised Gator Bowl, Hayes punched Clemson middle guard Charlie Bauman after Bauman intercepted a pass to kill Ohio State's last chance to win. Hayes was fired after the game by Ohio State president Harold Enarson and athletic director Hugh Hindman.

Earle Bruce era (1979–1987)

Hayes was replaced by a former protégé, Iowa State head coach Earle Bruce. Bruce inherited a strong team led by sophomore quarterback Art Schlichter but that had also lost 11 starters, and the 1979 squad exceeded pre-season expectations, ending the 3-year loss drought against Michigan and going to the Rose Bowl with an opportunity once again to be national champions. The Buckeyes lost both by a single point, 17–16, but Bruce was named Coach of the Year. His success was hailed by those in the media who saw it as a rebuke of Hayes and the start of a "new era". 1980, however, saw the start of a trend that eventually brought criticism to Bruce, when Ohio State finished with a 9–3 record, the first of six consecutive years at 9–3. Though each of these seasons, and the 10–3 season that followed them, culminated in a bowl game, Ohio State did not appear to be any closer to a national championship than during the end of the Hayes era. Bruce's teams were not without impact players, however. All-Americans and future National Football League stars included Keith Byars, Cris Carter, Chris Spielman, John Frank, Jim Lachey, Tom Tupa, Marcus Marek, and Pepper Johnson. His program was also known for the number of notable assistant coaches on staff, including Jim Tressel, Glen Mason, Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Dom Capers. For the first time since 1922, the Buckeyes lost three in a row in Ohio Stadium in 1982, including rematches with Stanford and Florida State, and for the second year in a row to Wisconsin, but then won seven straight, the last over BYU in the Holiday Bowl. Sophomore running back Keith Byars had a stand-out season in 1983, rushing for 1,199 yards, and Ohio State defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, but three losses in conference meant a 4th-place finish. 1984 witnessed what Bruce called "the greatest comeback after the worst start" when Ohio State fell behind Illinois 24–0 at home but roared back on 274 yards rushing and five touchdowns by Byars to win 45–38. Ohio State also defeated Michigan to win an outright Big Ten championship. Byars led the nation in rushing and scoring but finished second in Heisman balloting.

Downfall

In 1986, Bruce received a 3-year contract, the first for the modern program but the team opened with two losses, which had not occurred in over 90 years. The Buckeyes then won 9 in a row before Michigan took a close game when kicker Matt Frantz missed a field goal with a minute to play. After the season Bruce was offered the position of head coach at the University of Arizona with a 5-year contract but was persuaded to stay at his alma mater by Athletic Director Rick Bay. Hopes for a standout season in 1987 suffered a serious setback when All-American wide receiver Cris Carter was dropped from the team for signing with an agent. Indiana defeated Ohio State for the first time since 1951, 31–10, in a game that came to be known as the "darkest day", and Ohio State lost three conference games in a row going into the Michigan game. On the Monday of Michigan week, after a weekend of rumors and speculation, Ohio State President Edward Jennings fired Bruce but tried to keep the dismissal secret until after the end of the season. Bay, who had been instrumental in keeping Bruce at Ohio State, disregarded Jennings' orders and announced the firing and his own resignation in protest. Jennings made his own situation worse by refusing to give a reason for the firing and the circumstances have been the subject of controversy since. The Buckeyes enjoyed an emotional come-from-behind victory over Michigan in Ann Arbor after the entire team wore headbands bearing the word "EARLE", then declined an invitation to play in the Sun Bowl.

John Cooper era (1988–2000)

Early days

John Cooper was hired as the 21st football head coach at Ohio State before the end of 1987 and before he had coached his last game at Arizona State University. Cooper's coaching record at ASU and at Tulsa prior to that stood out among his credentials, as did a victory over Michigan in the 1987 Rose Bowl.
Cooper's 13 years as the Buckeye head coach are largely remembered in the litany of negative statistics associated with him: a notorious 2–10–1 record against Michigan, a 3–8 record in bowl games, a 5-year losing streak to Illinois to start his term and a 6–7 record overall, and blowing a 15-point 3rd quarter lead in a 28–24 loss to unranked Michigan State when the Buckeyes were the top-ranked team in the nation and en route to a national championship. However, his record also has many positives: back-to-back victories over Notre Dame, two finishes second-ranked in the polls, and three Big Ten championships. Cooper also recruited 15 players who were first-round draft picks in the National Football League.
Both 1988 and 1989 began identically: a season-opening win followed by an embarrassing loss to a highly regarded team ; a rebound win against two other highly regarded programs followed by a loss to Illinois in the conference opener. However, 1988 saw Ohio State lose its first three conference games and a close game at home against Michigan for a 4–6–1 record, its first losing season in 22 years. In 1989 the Buckeyes won 6 consecutive Big Ten games before losing its last two to go 8–4. The most noteworthy victory occurred in Minneapolis when Ohio State overcame a 31–0 deficit to Minnesota to win 41–37. 1990 continued the pattern with a 2-win 2-loss start and an overall 7–4–1 record that included an embarrassing loss to Air Force in the Liberty Bowl. 1991 was 8–4, notable primarily as the season that sophomore running back Robert Smith quit the team. 1992, with senior Kirk Herbstreit at quarterback, and Smith back on the team was 8–3–1, but the losing streak to Michigan was broken with a 13–13 tie. Persistent rumors that Cooper would resign or be fired were laid to rest when University President Gordon Gee announced he would be back in 1993.

Failures against Michigan

The next six seasons were very successful, winning 10 or more games in five out of six, and sharing the conference championship in three. Eddie George won the Heisman Trophy in 1995 after a tremendous senior season, Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in 1995 and 1996, and won half its bowl games. But in three seasons the Buckeyes entered the Michigan game undefeated, with the possibility of a national championship in at least one, and lost all three to underdog Wolverine teams. Ohio State had won 62 games and lost only 12, but a third of those were to Michigan. After renewing his contract and becoming a member of the "million dollar coaching club", Cooper started sophomore Austin Moherman against the Miami Hurricanes in the nationally televised Kickoff Classic and was soundly beaten. That presaged a mediocre season in which the Buckeyes finished 6–6, ending their successful 90's run. The 2000 team was more successful, going 8–4, but criticism of Cooper among fans had risen to a clamor again and touched on many areas of the program beyond specific game records. The negative publicity rose to a peak in the days leading up to Ohio State's matchup with South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, when wide receiver Reggie Germany was suspended for having a 0.0 GPA, team captain Matt Wilhelm publicly criticized fellow player Ken-Yon Rambo, and one Buckeye lineman sued another.

Downfall

On January 3, 2001, Cooper was fired. His loss in the Outback Bowl to a team that had not even won a single game the year before was a factor in his subsequent firing, as was negative publicity regarding player behavior before and during the game. Other contributing factors included the record against Michigan, a reputation of inability to win "big games", the lack of a national championship, the perception of him as an outsider by many alumni, the poor bowl game record, and finally a perceived lack of discipline on the team.

Jim Tressel era (2001–2010)

Early days

Ohio State quickly sought a replacement for Cooper and after a nationwide search hired Jim Tressel. With four NCAA Division I-AA National Championships at Youngstown State University, Tressel, formerly an assistant coach for Earle Bruce, was an Ohioan who was considered to be appreciative of Buckeye football traditions. Although there were some doubts as to whether or not Tressel could repeat his earlier success at the Division 1A level, most fans and alumni met the coaching change with enthusiasm. On the day of his hiring, Jim Tressel, speaking to fans and students at a Buckeye basketball game, made a prophetic implication that he would lead the Buckeyes to beat Michigan in Ann Arbor the following November. Tressel's first season was difficult as the Buckeyes finished 7–5, but he made good on his promise, beating Michigan in Ann Arbor.

National Championship

While its fans were optimistic about the chance for success of the 2002 team, most observers were surprised by Ohio State's National Championship. Ohio State used strong defense, ball-control play-calling, and field position tactics to win numerous close games, a style of play characterized as "Tresselball", and disparaged by detractors as "the Luckeyes".

Later years

The 2006 and 2007 regular seasons ended with just one combined loss and consecutive appearances in the national championship game. The Buckeyes lost both by wide margins. On January 1, 2010, the Buckeyes defeated the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl Game, by a score of 26–17. This ended a 3-game BCS losing streak for Ohio State, having lost 2 national championships and one Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Terrelle Pryor was named MVP of the contest with 2 touchdown passes for a career-high 266 passing yards. In addition, he had more total yards than the entire Oregon Ducks team.

"Tattoogate"

In December 2010, it was announced that five student-athletes on the football team would be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season for NCAA violations. The punishments stemmed from an incident when some of the Buckeye players received tattoos for their autographs, according to news reports. Other violations committed by the players included the selling of several items given to them by the university, such as Big Ten championship rings.
On December 22, 2010, the NCAA announced that five players would be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season due to receiving improper benefits. Mike Adams, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Solomon Thomas, and quarterback Terrelle Pryor were found to have signed autographs in return for tattoos, as well as selling memorabilia given to them by the university. In addition, Jordan Whiting was suspended for the season opener for his involvement. The scandal originated at Fine Line Tattoos and Piercings in Columbus, whose owner, Edward Rife, was being investigated for felony drug trafficking. On January 4, 2011, with all the players allowed to participate by the NCAA, the Buckeyes defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Sugar Bowl by a margin of 31–26. The win, along with every other one from the 2010 season, would later be vacated due to the scandal. The Buckeyes finished the season 12–1, with their only official game being a loss to Wisconsin.

Downfall

On March 8, 2011, OSU suspended head coach Jim Tressel for the first 2 games of the 2011 season and fined him $250,000 for not informing the university and the NCAA that he had knowledge of his players receiving improper benefits. Coach Tressel's suspension would later be increased to 5 games by the university. On May 30, 2011, Jim Tressel resigned as head coach of the Buckeyes. On June 6, 2011, a story in Sports Illustrated reported that at least 28 players, including Rob Rose, T. J. Downing, Louis Irizarry, Chris Vance, C. J. Barnett, Dorien Bell, Jamaal Berry, Bo DeLande, Zach Domicone, Storm Klein, Etienne Sabino, John Simon, Nathan Williams, Jermale Hines, Devon Torrence, Donald Washington, Thaddeus Gibson, Jermil Martin, Lamaar Thomas, and Doug Worthington traded team memorabilia or used equipment for tattoos or other merchandise or services between 2002 and 2010. The report alleged that Tressel had violated NCAA bylaw 10.1, unethical conduct, three times by not acting when told of the tattoo improprieties, by signing a statement saying he knew of no violations, and for withholding information on what was going on from university officials.

Luke Fickell (2011)

On July 8, 2011, Ohio State University decided to vacate all victories from the 2010 football season as self-imposed punishment for major NCAA violations. Former coach Jim Tressel received more than $52,000 from the university and didn't have to pay a $250,000 fine for his involvement in the scandal. His status was also changed from "Resigned" to "Retired" in keeping with his wishes to "remain a Buckeye for life". Ohio State named Luke Fickell interim head coach for the 2011 season following Tressel's resignation, and Fickell coached the 2011 Buckeyes to a 6–7 record; going 6–6 in the regular season and losing in the Gator Bowl to Florida.

Urban Meyer era (2012–2018)

Early years

On November 28, 2011, former University of Florida head coach and ESPN college football analyst Urban Meyer accepted the position of Buckeyes head coach. Meyer assumed head coaching responsibilities following the Buckeyes' January 2012 Gator Bowl appearance. Meyer's first season at Ohio State did not include a postseason contest, as the Buckeyes were sanctioned with a one-year bowl ban on December 20, 2011. The NCAA sanctions also included the loss of three scholarships each year for the following three years and three years' probation to end on December 19, 2014. Ohio State was required to vacate all wins from the 2010 season, the 2010 Big Ten Conference championship and their win in the 2011 Sugar Bowl. The school's share of the Sugar Bowl proceeds was forfeited as well. In Meyer's first year, the Buckeyes went a perfect 12–0, winning the 2012 Big Ten Leaders Division, though the previously mentioned sanctions kept them from playing in the 2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game and a postseason bowl game. On November 23, 2013, the Buckeyes clinched their second straight Leaders Division Championship, after defeating Indiana 42–14. With the victory over Indiana, Ohio State set a team record for all-time consecutive wins, with 23. The following week, Ohio State defeated Michigan 42–41 in Ann Arbor, to increase the streak to 24. The streak ended with Ohio State's 34–24 loss to Michigan State in the 2013 Big Ten Conference Championship game on December 7, marking Meyer's first loss as the Buckeyes' head coach. On January 3, 2014, the Buckeyes were defeated by Clemson in the Orange Bowl 40–35.

National Championship

On November 22, 2014, the Buckeyes clinched the first-ever Big Ten East Division Championship when they defeated Indiana 42–27, earning a berth in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game, where they defeated West Division champion Wisconsin 59–0 to win the Big Ten Conference Championship and qualified for the four-team playoff to decide the National Champion. OSU defeated Alabama in the Sugar Bowl 42–35, on January 1, 2015, to qualify for the National Championship Game against Rose Bowl winner Oregon on January 12. OSU claimed the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship by defeating Oregon 42–20.

Later years

The 2015 season for the Buckeyes began with a 10–0 start before losing on a last-second field goal to Michigan State on November 21, ending the Buckeyes' quest to repeat as National Champions. However, the Buckeyes recovered in their next two games, with dominating wins over Michigan and then over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, to finish the season at 12–1. The 2016 season started off great with 6 straight victories, including a win over the Oklahoma Sooners, but the streak came to an end as the team lost a heart-breaker to the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Buckeyes went on to win the rest of their regular-season games, finishing 11–1. They did not play in the Big Ten Championship as Penn State took the division. In a controversial call, the College Football Playoff committee gave Ohio State a spot in the Playoff. Ohio State lost in the Fiesta Bowl to the Clemson Tigers in an embarrassing 31–0 loss, ending the season 11–2. The 2017 season started out on a high note with a victory over the Indiana Hoosiers, but the next week the Buckeyes fell to the Oklahoma Sooners. The Buckeyes won the next 6 games, including a win over No. 2 Penn State in a revenge game of sorts. The Buckeyes suffered an embarrassing defeat against the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Buckeyes ended the season 12–2 overall, winning the rest of their games including a Big Ten Championship victory over No. 4 Wisconsin and a Cotton Bowl victory over USC.

Downfall

Urban Meyer was suspended for the first three games of the 2018 season for mishandling domestic violence allegations against then-wide receivers coach Zach Smith. Co-Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan Day served as interim coach and led the Buckeyes to a 3–0 start. Meyer returned to the sidelines and coached the team to four more victories before the team suffered a loss on October 20 to Purdue, 49–20. The Buckeyes won their last four games of the regular season, including a 62–39 win over archrival Michigan, in Columbus. The win gave the Buckeyes a share of the Big Ten East Division title, and the right to face Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game, which Ohio State won for its second consecutive Big Ten Championship. Ohio State would go on to win the Rose Bowl over Pac-12 Champion Washington 28–23, giving Ohio State their 8th Rose Bowl win.

Ryan Day era (2019–present)

On December 4, 2018, the university announced that Meyer would retire after the 2019 Rose Bowl and be replaced by co-offensive coordinator Ryan Day.
In Day's first year, the Buckeyes went a perfect 13–0, including a win over archrival Michigan by a score of 56–27 and defeating Wisconsin for the Big Ten Championship. They would earn a spot in the College Football Playoff but would lose to Clemson 29–23 in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl. In Day's second year, the Big Ten season didn't start until late October due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Buckeyes would only play five out of a scheduled eight games due to several virus-related cancellations - including the Michigan game. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes would go 5–0 in the regular season, win the East Division title, and go on to beat Northwestern 22–10 in the Big Ten Championship Game, giving Day his second straight conference title. On January 1, 2021, the Buckeyes defeated Clemson 49–28 to win the Sugar Bowl in a rematch of the 2019 Fiesta Bowl to advance to the CFP National Championship Game against Alabama on January 11, which they lost 52–24. On September 11, 2021, he suffered his first regular season loss as head coach when the Oregon Ducks defeated the Buckeyes 35–28 in the 2nd game of the season. Ohio State's streak of defeating Michigan also came to an end on November 27, 2021, in Ann Arbor, when Ohio State lost 42–27. They then won the 2022 Rose Bowl against Utah 48–45 on January 1, 2022.
In 2022, Day led the team to an 11–0 record and was ranked #2 going into the Michigan game, which #3 Michigan would win 45–23 on November 26, 2022, in Ohio State's first loss to Michigan in Columbus since 2000, and first back–to–back losses to Michigan since 1999–2000. The Buckeyes would go on to play the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs in the 2022 national semifinal game on New Year's Eve, taking a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter, but ultimately seeing their season come to an end with a 42–41 loss. Kicker Noah Ruggles' would-be game-winning field goal attempt sailed wide left just as the clock struck midnight on New Year's Day, 2023.
In 2023, Day led the team to an 11–0 record and was ranked #2 going into the Michigan game for the second consecutive year. This time, Michigan won by six points 30–24 on November 25, 2023. This marked the first three game losing streak to Michigan since 1995–97. The Buckeyes were then invited to the 2023 Cotton Bowl, where they lost to the Missouri Tigers 14–3 on December 29, 2023.
In 2024, Day led the team to an 10–1 record leading into the Michigan game, but would lose to the Wolverines for the fourth straight year by a 13–10 score on November 30. However, with the expanded 12 team field, the Buckeyes would reach the College Football Playoff. They would beat Tennessee 42–17 in the opening round on December 21, Oregon 41–21 in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2025, Texas 28–14 in the Cotton Bowl on January 10, 2025, and then Notre Dame 34–23 in the 2024 CFP National Championship Game on January 20, 2025 to win the title, which is the ninth recognized championship in school history.

Championships

National

Ohio State recognizes nine national championships from NCAA-designated "consensus" selectors, including seven from the major wire-service: AP Poll or Coaches' Poll.
The following is a list of Ohio State's claimed national championships:

1942	Paul Brown	AP	9–1	6–1	–	No. 1	−
1954	Woody Hayes	AP	10–0	7–0	Won Rose Bowl	No. 1	No. 2
1957	Woody Hayes	Coaches, FWAA	9–1	7–0	Won Rose Bowl	No. 2	No. 1
1961	Woody Hayes	FWAA	8–0–1	6–0	–	No. 2	No. 2
1968	Woody Hayes	AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF	10–0	7–0	Won Rose Bowl	No. 1	No. 1
1970	Woody Hayes	NFF	9–1	7–0	Lost Rose Bowl	No. 5	No. 2
2002	Jim Tressel	BCS, AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF	14–0	8–0	Won Fiesta Bowl	No. 1	No. 1
2014	Urban Meyer	CFP, AP, Coaches, NFF	14–1	8–0	Won Sugar Bowl Won CFP National Championship	No. 1	No. 1
2024	Ryan Day	CFP, AP, Coaches, NFF	14–2	7–2	Won Rose Bowl Won Cotton Bowl Won CFP National Championship	No. 1	No. 1

Ohio State has also been selected an additional seven times by various NCAA-designated "major selectors", in 1933, 1944, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 2006. However, the Buckeyes do not recognize any of those championships.

Conference

Ohio State joined the Big Ten in 1912; before that they were a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference and won two OAC titles. Ohio State has won a championship in the Big Ten 39 times, second-most in the conference.

1906	OAC	Albert E. Herrnstein	8–1	4–0
1912	OAC	John Richards	6–3	4–0
1916	Big Ten	John Wilce	7–0	4–0
1917	Big Ten	John Wilce	8–0–1	4–0
1920	Big Ten	John Wilce	7–1	5–0
1935†	Big Ten	Francis Schmidt	7–1	5–0
1939	Big Ten	Francis Schmidt	6–2	5–1
1942	Big Ten	Paul Brown	9–1	5–1
1944	Big Ten	Carroll Widdoes	9–0	6–0
1949†	Big Ten	Wes Fesler	7–1–2	4–1–1
1954	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	10–0	7–0
1955	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	7–2	6–0
1957	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	9–1	7–0
1961	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	8–0–1	6–0
1968	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	10–0	7–0
1969†	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	8–1	6–1
1970	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	9–1	7–0
1972†	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	9–2	7–1
1973†	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	10–0–1	7–0–1
1974†	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	10–2	7–1
1975	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	11–1	8–0
1976†	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	9–2–1	7–1
1977†	Big Ten	Woody Hayes	9–3	6–2
1979	Big Ten	Earle Bruce	11–1	8–0
1981†	Big Ten	Earle Bruce	9–3	6–2
1984	Big Ten	Earle Bruce	9–3	7–2
1986†	Big Ten	Earle Bruce	10–3	7–1
1993†	Big Ten	John Cooper	10–1–1	6–1–1
1996†	Big Ten	John Cooper	11–1	7–1
1998†	Big Ten	John Cooper	11–1	7–1
2002†	Big Ten	Jim Tressel	14–0	8–0
2005†	Big Ten	Jim Tressel	10–2	7–1
2006	Big Ten	Jim Tressel	12–1	8–0
2007	Big Ten	Jim Tressel	11–2	7–1
2008†	Big Ten	Jim Tressel	10–3	7–1
2009	Big Ten	Jim Tressel	11–2	7–1
2014	Big Ten	Urban Meyer	14–1	8–0
2017	Big Ten	Urban Meyer	12–2	8–1
2018	Big Ten	Urban Meyer	13–1	8–1
2019	Big Ten	Ryan Day	13–1	9–0
2020	Big Ten	Ryan Day	7–1	6–0

† Co-champions

Division

From 2011 to 2023, Big Ten had divisions to decide who would play for the conference championship. The divisions were known as Legends and Leaders from 2011 to 2013. In 2014, the divisions were realigned geographically into East and West. The divisional format ended for the 2024 season.
† Co-champions

Undefeated seasons

1899	9–0–1	–	John B. Eckstorm
1916	7–0	4–0	John Wilce
1917	8–0–1	4–0	John Wilce
1944	9–0	6–0	Carroll Widdoes
1954	10–0	7–0	Woody Hayes
1961	8–0–1	6–0	Woody Hayes
1968	10–0	7–0	Woody Hayes
1973	10–0–1	7–0–1	Woody Hayes
2002	14–0	8–0	Jim Tressel
2012	12–0	8–0	Urban Meyer

Bowl games

Ohio State has played in 59 bowl games in which they are 29–29–0, including one vacated win. The Buckeyes have been to the Rose Bowl 17 times. As of December 2024, Ohio State has indicated that it will not count CFP First Round games as bowl appearances. Below are the bowl appearances under current head coach Ryan Day.

2019	Ryan Day	CFP Semifinal at Fiesta Bowl	Clemson	L 23–29
2020	Ryan Day	CFP Semifinal at Sugar Bowl	Clemson	W 49–28
2020	Ryan Day	CFP National Championship	Alabama	L 24–52
2021	Ryan Day	Rose Bowl	Utah	W 48–45
2022	Ryan Day	CFP Semifinal at Peach Bowl	Georgia	L 41–42
2023	Ryan Day	Cotton Bowl Classic	Missouri	L 3–14
2024	Ryan Day	CFP Quarterfinal at Rose Bowl	Oregon	W 41–21
2024	Ryan Day	CFP Semifinal at Cotton Bowl Classic	Texas	W 28–14
2024	Ryan Day	CFP National Championship	Notre Dame	W 34–23

*note 2019-present

29–29

23–15

7–4

^† Vacated

Home venues

Marching band

Ohio State University Marching Band is the most visible and possibly best-known tradition of Ohio State football. Home games are preceded by four marching band traditions:

Skull Session
Ramp entrance
Dotting the I
Script Ohio

Rivalries

Illinois

The series versus Illinois began in 1902 and became the longest continuous series in 2002 when the schools played in their 89th consecutive year. In 2007, Ohio State was given their only defeat of the regular season by the Illini. Through the 2025 season, Ohio State leads the series 68–30–4.

Michigan

Ohio State's first game with Michigan dates to 1897. Michigan leads the series
62–52–6 through the 2025 season. This rivalry is considered to be Buckeyes' biggest rivalry. All the appearances of the letter M in Ohio Stadium are crossed out with red tape. Halftime shows during OSU games often feature something bad happening to the Michigan logo.

Penn State

When Penn State was added to the Big Ten conference football play in 1993, every member was given two designated rivals, teams to be played every year, with the other conference teams rotated out of the schedule at regular intervals. For geographic convenience, the Big Ten named Penn State as Ohio State's new designated rival in addition to Michigan. Ohio State leads the series 26–14 through the 2025 season.

Other rivals

Indiana

The football rivalry between Indiana and Ohio State dates back to 1901, with the teams meeting 99 times, where Ohio State leads the series 81–13–5. Both schools have been members of the Big Ten Conference for over a century, with Indiana joining in 1899 and Ohio State in 1912. Ohio State has defeated the Hoosiers twice in top–10 ranked matchups in 2020 and 2024. In 2025, #2 Indiana defeated #1 Ohio State in that season's Big Ten Championship Game, ending their 29–game skid against the Buckeyes.

Wisconsin

Ohio State's football series with Wisconsin, dates back to 1913, has been largely dominated by the Buckeyes. Ohio State leads the series 64–5–18, and Ohio State post a 3–0 record in the Big Ten Championship Game against the Badgers.

Coaches

The Buckeyes have had 24 head coaches in their 121-year history.
Of the team's nine national championships to date, Woody Hayes won five, with Paul Brown, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer, and Ryan Day each having one.

All-time records

All-time Big Ten records

This table reflects the results of Big Ten match ups when both OSU and its opponent were members of the conference through the 2025 season. Ohio State began Big Ten play in 1913. Examples of excluded results are Chicago after 1939, Michigan between 1907 and 1916, Michigan State before 1953, Penn State before 1993, and Nebraska before 2011. Ohio State's vacated wins from 2010 are not included. Match ups in the College Football Playoffs are not included.

Chicago Maroons	10	2	2	Won 8	1920	1939
Illinois Fighting Illini	69	30	3	Won 9	1914	2025
Indiana Hoosiers	81	12	5	Won 29	1913	2024
Iowa Hawkeyes	50	15	3	Won 2	1922	2024
Maryland Terrapins	9	0	0	Won 9	2014	2023
Michigan Wolverines	51	51	4	Won 1	1918	2025
Michigan State Spartans	39	15	0	Won 9	1953	2024
Minnesota Golden Gophers	48	7	0	Won 6	1921	2025
Nebraska Cornhuskers	10	1	0	Won 10	2011	2024
Northwestern Wildcats	67	14	1	Won 11	1913	2024
Oregon Ducks	0	1	0	Lost 1	2024	2024
Penn State Nittany Lions	24	8	0	Won 9	1993	2025
Purdue Boilermakers	43	15	2	Won 4	1919	2025
Rutgers Scarlet Knights	10	0	0	Won 10	2014	2025
UCLA Bruins	1	0	0	Won 1	2025	2025
USC Trojans	0	0	0		2026
Washington Huskies	1	0	0	Won 1	2025	2025
Wisconsin Badgers	64	18	5	Won 11	1913	2025

Individual awards and achievements

Through the 2006 season, Ohio State players have by a significant margin won more trophies than any other NCAA Division 1A program. Ohio State players have won 34 of the listed major awards, with the next closest being 26. Ohio State is the only university to have received each of the awards at least once. Of the five awards created prior to 1980, Ohio State has received the most with 25.

Honored numbers

Although these numbers are cited as "retired" on Ohio State website, they are considered enshrined rather than retired, and are available to be worn. All previously retired jersey numbers remain retired.

Block O Jersey

In 2020, the NCAA approved the use of the No. 0. In order to further pay tribute to Bill Willis, Coach Day decided to start a new tradition and choose the player who will wear the number each season.

2020	Jonathon Cooper	DE	Senior	18
2021	Thayer Munford	OT	Senior	75
2022		WR	Senior	1
2023	Xavier Johnson	WR	Senior	10
2024	Cody Simon	LB	Senior	30
2025	Sonny Styles	LB	Senior	6

Honored coaches

Two head coaches have also been honored by the Buckeyes, with banners at Ohio Stadium:

Paul Brown - led OSU to their first National Championship in 1942
Woody Hayes - led OSU to school records of 205 wins, five National Championships, and 13 Big Ten Championships

Award winners

Heisman Trophy winners

Ohio State players have won the Heisman Trophy seven times, which ties Notre Dame and Oklahoma for the second most awards for any school, behind only USC with eight. Archie Griffin is the only two-time recipient in the history of the award.

1944	Les Horvath	RB	Senior	412
1950	Vic Janowicz	RB	Junior	633
1955	Howard "Hopalong" Cassady	RB	Senior	2219
1974	Archie Griffin	RB	Junior	1920
1975	Archie Griffin	RB	Senior	1800
1995	Eddie George	RB	Senior	1460
2006	Troy Smith	QB	Senior	2540

Lombardi Award

Ohio State players have won the Lombardi Award six times:

Maxwell Award

Four Ohio State players have won the Maxwell Award:

Outland Trophy

Four Ohio State players have won the Outland Trophy:

Walter Camp Award

Ohio State players have won the Walter Camp Award four times:

Fred Biletnikoff Award

Ohio State Players have won the Fred Biletnikoff Award twice:

1995: Terry Glenn
2023: Marvin Harrison Jr.

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Ohio State Players have won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy award twice:

2006: James Laurinaitis
2019: Chase Young

Dick Butkus Award

Ohio State players have won the Dick Butkus Award twice:

1997: Andy Katzenmoyer
2007: James Laurinaitis

Jim Thorpe Award

Ohio State players have won the Jim Thorpe Award three times:

Rimington Trophy

Ohio State players have won the Dave Rimington Trophy four times:

Lott Trophy

Ohio State players have won the Lot IMPACT Trophy two times:

2008: James Laurinaitis
2025: Caleb Downs

Chicago Tribune Silver Football

Ohio State players have won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award 23 times:

All-American and All-Conference honors

Through 2017, 199 Buckeyes have been named first team All-Americans since 1914. Of those 85 have been consensus picks. 388 have been named to the All-Big Ten team, and 16 have won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player award, including Troy Smith for 2006. The Athletic Directors of the Big Ten Conference voted Eddie George Big Ten-Jesse Owens 'Athlete of the Year' for 1996.
On November 22, 2006, ten Buckeyes were named to either the Coaches or Conference media All-Big Ten First Team selections for the 2006 season, and seven were named to both. Troy Smith was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Four other Buckeyes received Second Team honors.

List of All-Americans

All records per OSU Athletics.
;1910s

1914: Boyd Cherry
1916: Chic Harley, Robert Karch
1917: Charles Bolen, Harold Courtney, Chic Harley, Kelley VanDyne
1918: Clarence MacDonald
1919: Chic Harley, Gaylord Stinchcomb

;1920s

1920: Iolas Huffman, Gaylord Stinchcomb
1921: Iolas Huffman, Cyril Myers
1923: Harry Workman
1924: Harold Cunningham
1925: Edwin Hess
1926: Edwin Hess, Marty Karow, Leo Raskowski
1927: Leo Raskowski
1928: Wes Fesler
1929: Wes Fesler

;1930s

1930: Wes Fesler, Lew Hinchman
1931: Carl Cramer, Lew Hinchman
1932: Joseph Gailus, Sid Gillman, Lew Hinchman, Ted Rosequist
1933: Joseph Gailus
1934: Regis Monahan, Merle Wendt
1935: Gomer Jones, Merle Wendt
1936: Charles Hamrick, Inwood Smith, Merle Wendt
1937: Carl Kaplanoff, Jim McDonald, Ralph Wolf, Gust Zarnas
1939: Vic Marino, Esco Sarkkinen, Don Scott

;1940s

1940:Don Scott
1942: Robert Shaw, Charles Csuri, Lin Houston, Paul Sarringhaus, Gene Fekete
1943: Bill Willis
1944: Jack Dugger, Bill Willis, William Hackett, Les Horvath
1945: Warren Amling, Ollie Cline, Russell Thomas
1946: Warren Amling, Cecil Souders

;1950s

1950: Robert Momsen, Robert McMullogh, Vic Janowicz
1952: Mike Takacs
1954: Dean Dugger, Howard Cassady, Jim Reichenbach
1955: Jim Parker, Howard Cassady
1956: Jim Parker
1957: Aurealius Thomas
1958: Jim Houston, Jim Marshall, Bob White
1959: Jim Houston

;1960s

1960: Bob Ferguson
1961: Bob Ferguson
1964: Jim Davidson, Ike Kelley, Arnie Chonko
1965: Doug Van Horn, Ike Kelley
1966: Ray Pryor
1968: Dave Foley, Rufus Mayes
1969: Jim Stillwagon, Rex Kern, Jim Otis, Ted Provost, Jack Tatum

;1970s

1970: Jan White, Jim Stillwagon, John Brockington, Jack Tatum, Mike Sensibaugh, Tim Anderson
1971: Tom DeLeone
1972: John Hicks, Randy Gradishar
1973: John Hicks, Randy Gradishar, Van DeCree, Archie Griffin
1974: Van Ness DeCree, Kurt Schumacher, Steve Myers, Pete Cusick, Archie Griffin, Neal Colzie, Tom Skladany
1975: Ted Smith, Archie Griffin, Tim Fox, Tom Skladany
1976: Bob Brudzinski, Chris Ward, Tom Skladany
1977: Chris Ward, Aaron Brown, Tom Cousineau, Ray Griffin
1978: Tom Cousineau
1979: Ken Fritz, Art Schlichter

;1980s

;1990s

1991: Steve Tovar
1992: Steve Tovar
1993: Korey Stringer, Dan Wilkinson
1994: Korey Stringer
1995: Eddie George, Terry Glenn, Orlando Pace, Mike Vrabel
1996: Orlando Pace, Shawn Springs, Mike Vrabel
1997: Andy Katzenmoyer, Rob Murphy, Antoine Winfield
1998: David Boston, Damon Moore, Rob Murphy, Antoine Winfield
1999: Na'il Diggs

;2000s

2000: Mike Doss
2001: LeCharles Bentley, Mike Doss
2002: Mike Doss, Andy Groom, Mike Nugent, Matt Wilhelm
2003: Will Allen, Will Smith
2004: Mike Nugent, A. J. Hawk
2005: A. J. Hawk, Donte Whitner, Nick Mangold
2006: Troy Smith, James Laurinaitis, Quinn Pitcock, Ted Ginn Jr.
2007: James Laurinaitis, Kirk Barton, Vernon Gholston, Malcolm Jenkins
2008: James Laurinaitis, Malcolm Jenkins
2009: Kurt Coleman

;2010s

2010: Mike Brewster, Chimdi Chekwa
2012: Johnathan Hankins, Bradley Roby
2013: Ryan Shazier, Jack Mewhort
2014: Joey Bosa. Michael Bennett
2015: Vonn Bell, Joey Bosa, Taylor Decker, Adolphus Washington
2016: Pat Elflein, Malik Hooker, Billy Price, Curtis Samuel
2017: Billy Price, Denzel Ward Nick Bosa
2019: Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, J. K. Dobbins, Wyatt Davis

;2020s

2020: Wyatt Davis, Shaun Wade
2021: Thayer Munford, Chris Olave, Nicholas Petit-Frere, Garrett Wilson
2022: Marvin Harrison Jr., Paris Johnson Jr.
2023: Marvin Harrison Jr.
2024: Caleb Downs, Seth McLaughlin
2025: Caleb Downs, Kayden McDonald, Jeremiah Smith, Arvell Reese

Team MVP

1930: Wes Fesler – – Big Ten MVP

1931: Robert Haubrich –

1932: Lew Hinchman –

1933: Mickey Vuchinich –

1934: Gomer Jones –

1935: Gomer Jones –

1936: Ralph Wolf –

1937: Ralph Wolf –

1938: Jim Langhurst –

1939: Steve Andrako –

1940: Don Scott –

1941: Jack Graf – – Big Ten MVP

1942: Chuck Csuri –

1943: Gordon Appleby –

1944: Les Horvath – – Big Ten MVP

1945: Ollie Cline – – Big Ten MVP

1946: Cecil Souders –

1947: Dave Templeton –

1948: Joe Whisler –

1949: Jack Lininger –

1950: Vic Janowicz – – Big Ten MVP

1951: Vic Janowicz –

1952: Fred Bruney –

1953: George Jacoby –

1954: Howard Cassady –

1955: Howard Cassady – – Big Ten MVP

1956: Jim Parker –

1957: Bill Jobko –

1958: Jim Houston –

1959: Jim Houston –

1960: Tom Matte –

1961: Bob Ferguson –

1962: Billy Armstrong –

1963: Matt Snell –

1964: Ed Orazen –

1965: Doug Van Horn –

1966: Ray Pryor –

1967: Dirk Worden –

1968: Mark Stier –

1969: Jim Otis –

1970: Jim Stillwagon –

1971: Tom DeLeone –

1972: George Hasenohrl –

1973: Archie Griffin – – Big Ten MVP

1974: Archie Griffin – – Big Ten MVP

1975: Cornelius Greene – – Big Ten MVP

1976: Bob Brudzinski –

1977: Dave Adkins –

1978: Tom Cousineau –

1979: Jim Laughlin –

1980: Calvin Murray –

1981: Art Schlichter – – Big Ten MVP

1982: Tim Spencer –

1983: John Frank –

1984: Keith Byars – – Big Ten MVP

1985: Jim Karsatos –

1986: Cris Carter –

1987: Chris Spielman –

1988: Jeff Uhlenhake –

1989: Derek Isaman –

1990: Jeff Graham –

1991: Carlos Snow –

1992: Kirk Herbstreit –

1993: Raymont Harris –

1994: Korey Stringer –

1995: Eddie George – – Big Ten MVP

1996: Orlando Pace – – Big Ten MVP

1997: Antoine Winfield –

1998: Joe Germaine – – Big Ten MVP

1999: Ahmed Plummer –

2000: Derek Combs –

2001: Jonathan Wells –

2002: Craig Krenzel – / Chris Gamble –

2003: Michael Jenkins –

2004: Mike Nugent –

2005: A. J. Hawk –

2006: Troy Smith – – Big Ten MVP

2007: Chris Wells –

2008: Chris Wells –

2009: Kurt Coleman –

2010: Dane Sanzenbacher –

2011: Daniel Herron –

2012: Braxton Miller – – Big Ten MVP

2013: Braxton Miller – – Big Ten MVP

2014: Evan Spencer –

2015: Ezekiel Elliott – – Big Ten MVP

2016: Malik Hooker – / Pat Elflein –

2017: Sam Hubbard –

2018: Dwayne Haskins –

2019: Justin Fields – / Chase Young – – Big Ten MVP

2020: Justin Fields – – Big Ten MVP

2021: C. J. Stroud –

2022: C. J. Stroud –

2023: Marvin Harrison Jr - – Big Ten MVP

Paul "Bear" Bryant Award

2002: Jim Tressel

AFCA Coach of the Year

Academic awards and achievements

College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America

Academic All-American Hall of Fame

1992: Randy Gradishar

Academic All-American Player of the Year

2003: Craig Krenzel

Academic All-Americans

1952: John Borton

1954: Dick Hilnski

1958: Bob White

1961: Tom Perdue

1965: Bill Ridder

1966: Dave Foley

1967: Dave Foley

1968: Dave Foley

1969: Bill Urbanik

1971: Rick Simon

1973: Randy Gradishar

1974: Brian Baschnagel

1975: Brian Baschnagel

1976: Pete Johnson# and Bill Lukens#

1977: Jeff Logan

1980: Marcus Marek

1982: Joe Smith# and John Frank#

1983: John Frank and Dave Crecelius

1984: Dave Crecelius#, Mike Lanese#, and Anthony Tiuliani

1985: Mike Lanese

1987: Joe Staysniak

1989: Joe Staysniak

1990: Greg Smith

1992: Len Hartman# and Greg Smith#

1995: Greg Bellisari

1996: Greg Bellisari

1998: Jerry Rudzinski

1999: Ahmed Plummer

2002: Craig Krenzel

2003: Craig Krenzel

2006: Anthony Gonzalez# and Stan White, Jr.#

2007: Brian Robiskie

2008: Brian Robiskie

2014: Jacoby Boren

2015: Jacoby Boren# and Jack Willoughby#

2016: Sam Hubbard

2017: Jordan Fuller

2018: Jordan Fuller

2019: Jordan Fuller

2024: Donovan Jackson#, Quinshon Judkins and Seth McLaughlin#

denotes first team

National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame

William V. Campbell Trophy

1995 Bobby Hoying
2003 Craig Krenzel

National Scholar-Athlete Awards

1965 Willard Sander
1968 David Foley
1970 Rex Kern
1973 Randy Gradishar
1975 Brian Baschnagel
1979 Jim Laughlin
1982 Joe Smith
1983 John Frank
1984 Dave Crecelius
1985 Mike Lanese
1989 Joe Staysniak
1990 Greg Frey
1992 Greg Smith
1994 Joey Galloway
1995 Bobby Hoying
1996 Greg Bellisari
1999 Ahmed Plummer
2003 Craig Krenzel
2008 Brian Robiskie
2015 Jacoby Boren
2019 Jordan Fuller

Hall of Fame inductees

College Football Hall of Fame

Howard Jones	Head coach	1951
Chic Harley	HB/QB	1951
Wes Fesler	End	1954
John Wilce	Head coach	1954
Les Horvath	HB/QB	1969
Bill Willis	DT	1971
Francis Schmidt	Head coach	1971
Ernie Godfrey	Asst. Coach	1972
Gaylord Stinchcomb	HB/QB	1973
Jim Parker	OT	1974
Gust Zarnas	OG	1975
Vic Janowicz	HB	1976
Jim Daniell	OT	1977
Gomer Jones	C	1978
Howard Cassady	HB	1979
Woody Hayes	Head coach	1983
Warren Amling	OG	1984
Archie Griffin	RB	1986
Doyt Perry	Asst. Coach	1988
Sid Gillman	Asst. Coach	1989
Aurealius Thomas	OG	1989
Jim Stillwagon	DT	1991
Bo Schembechler	Asst. Coach	1993
Bob Fergueson	FB	1996
Randy Gradishar	LB	1998
John Hicks	OT	2001
Earle Bruce	Head coach	2002
Jack Tatum	S	2004
Jim Houston	DE	2005
Rex Kern	QB	2007
John Cooper	Head coach	2008
Chris Spielman	LB	2009
Eddie George	RB	2011
Orlando Pace	OT	2013
Jim Tressel	Head coach	2015
Tom Cousineau	LB	2016
Keith Byars	HB	2020
Rudy Hubbard	Asst. Coach	2021
Mike Doss	S	2022
Chris Ward	OT	2024
Urban Meyer	Head coach	2025

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Paul Brown	Coach	1967
Jim Parker	OT	1973
Lou Groza	K	1974
Dante Lavelli	End	1975
Bill Willis	DT	1977
Sid Gillman	Coach	1983
Paul Warfield	WR	1983
Dick LeBeau	CB	2010
Cris Carter	WR	2013
Orlando Pace	OT	2016
Randy Gradishar	LB	2024

Media

The Buckeyes are covered on the radio by Ohio State Sports Network, operated by Learfield IMG College. WBNS/Columbus and sister station WBNS-FM/Columbus serve as flagship stations, with more than 60 affiliates in Ohio, and two additional affiliates in West Virginia. Paul Keels is the play-by-play announcer, while former Buckeye left guard Jim Lachey serves as color analyst. They are joined by sideline reporter Tyler Danberg and Skip Mosic, host of the network pregame and halftime shows.
WBNS-TV in Columbus is the long-standing "official TV home" of the Buckeyes, airing the official coach's show Game Time with Ryan Day.
In addition, Ohio State football games are broadcast by their student radio organization, Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio on OhioStateSports.net

Future conference opponents

Schedule announced October 5, 2023

2026	2027	2028
at Indiana	at Michigan*	at Illinois
at Iowa	at Minnesota	at Maryland
at Nebraska	at Northwestern	at Penn State
at USC	at Oregon	at UCLA
Illinois	at Rutgers	Michigan*
Maryland	Michigan State	Minnesota
Michigan*	Nebraska	Rutgers
Northwestern	Purdue	Washington
Oregon	USC	Wisconsin

denotes protected matchup

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of June 4, 2025.

vs Ball State	vs Bowling Green	vs Buffalo	vs Navy	vs Nevada	vs Georgia	vs Boston College	at Boston College
at Texas	vs New Hampshire	at Alabama	vs Charlotte	at Georgia
vs Kent State	vs Alabama	vs Northern Illinois	vs Youngstown State

Ohio State has no opponents scheduled for 2032, 2033, or 2034.

Fan base

In 2011, a study conducted by Nate Silver of the New York Times, which he described as "not quite scientific," determined that Ohio State had the most fans of any college football team.

Ohio State Buckeyes football

History

Early history (1890–1950)

Paul Brown era (1941–1943)

Team in flux (1944–1950)

Woody Hayes era (1951–1978)

Early days

Championship glory

Downfall

Earle Bruce era (1979–1987)

Downfall

John Cooper era (1988–2000)

Early days

Failures against Michigan

Downfall

Jim Tressel era (2001–2010)

Early days

National Championship

Later years

"Tattoogate"

Downfall

Luke Fickell (2011)

Urban Meyer era (2012–2018)

Early years

National Championship

Later years

Downfall

Ryan Day era (2019–present)

Championships

National

Conference

Division

Undefeated seasons

Bowl games

Home venues

Marching band

Rivalries

Illinois

Michigan

Penn State

Other rivals

Indiana

Wisconsin

Coaches

All-time records

All-time Big Ten records

Individual awards and achievements

Honored numbers

Block O Jersey

Honored coaches

Award winners

Heisman Trophy winners

Lombardi Award

Maxwell Award

Outland Trophy

Walter Camp Award

Fred Biletnikoff Award

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Dick Butkus Award

Jim Thorpe Award

Rimington Trophy

Lott Trophy

Chicago Tribune Silver Football

Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year

Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year

Other

All-American and All-Conference honors

List of All-Americans

Team MVP

Paul "Bear" Bryant Award

AFCA Coach of the Year

Academic awards and achievements

College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America

Academic All-American Hall of Fame

Academic All-American Player of the Year

Academic All-Americans

National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame

William V. Campbell Trophy

National Scholar-Athlete Awards

Hall of Fame inductees