Ohio State Buckeyes football facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ohio State Buckeyes football |
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| First season | 1890; 135 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Ross Bjork | ||
| Head coach | Ryan Day 7th season, 70–10 (.875) |
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| Stadium | Ohio Stadium (capacity: 102,780) |
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| Year built | 1922 | ||
| Field surface | Shaw Sports Momentum Pro | ||
| Location | Columbus, Ohio | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Big Ten Conference | ||
| Past conferences | Independent Ohio Athletic Conference |
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| All-time record | 977–335–53 (.735) | ||
| Bowl record | 30–29 (.508) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 6 (2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024) | ||
| Playoff record | 7–4 (.636) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 9 (1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014, 2024) | ||
| Unclaimed national titles | 7 (1933, 1944, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975) | ||
| National finalist | 5 ( 2002, 2006, 2007, 2020, 2024) | ||
| Conference titles | 41 (2 OAC, 39 Big Ten) | ||
| Division titles | 10 (2 Leaders, 8 East) | ||
| Rivalries | See § Rivalries: Michigan (rivalry) Illinois (rivalry) Penn State (rivalry) |
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| Heisman winners | Les Horvath – 1944 Vic Janowicz – 1950 Howard Cassady – 1955 Archie Griffin – 1974 Archie Griffin – 1975 Eddie George – 1995 Troy Smith – 2006 |
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| Consensus All-Americans | 93 | ||
| Current uniform | |||
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| Colors | Scarlet and Gray |
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| Fight song | Across the Field and Buckeye Battle Cry | ||
| Mascot | Brutus Buckeye | ||
| Marching band | Ohio State University Marching Band | ||
| Outfitter | Nike | ||
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is a super popular college football team. They play in the top division of college football, called the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The team represents Ohio State University and is part of the Big Ten Conference. Since 1922, the Buckeyes have played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
The Buckeyes have won nine national championships. Seven of these were chosen by major polls like the AP Poll and Coaches' Poll. They have also won 41 conference championships and 10 division championships. The team has had 10 seasons where they didn't lose any games, including six perfect seasons with no losses or ties! Seven players from Ohio State have won the amazing Heisman Trophy, which is a huge award in college football. One player, Archie Griffin, is the only person to win it twice!
In 2025, the football program was worth about $2 to $2.5 billion. This makes it the most valuable college football team in the whole country!
Contents
- Winning Big Games: Championships
- Perfect Seasons: Undefeated Records
- Bowl Game Appearances
- Where the Buckeyes Play: Home Stadiums
- Big Games: Rivalries
- Who Leads the Team: Coaches
- Star Players and Awards
- Hall of Fame Inductees
- How to Listen and Watch: Media Coverage
- Future Games: Upcoming Opponents
- Who Cheers Them On: Fan Base
- Images for kids
Winning Big Games: Championships
National Championships
Ohio State has won nine national championships. Seven of these were chosen by major groups like the AP Poll and Coaches' Poll. These wins happened in 1942, 1954, 1957, 1968, 2002, 2014, and 2024.
Here are the national championships Ohio State proudly claims:
| Year | Head coach | Selector(s) | Overall Record |
Big Ten Record |
Bowl Game(s) | AP Poll |
Coaches Poll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Coaches, FWAA | 9–1 | 7–0 | Won Rose Bowl | No. 2 | No. 1 | |
| 1961 | FWAA | 8–0–1 | 6–0 | – | No. 2 | No. 2 | |
| 1968 | AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF | 10–0 | 7–0 | Won Rose Bowl | No. 1 | No. 1 | |
| 1970 | NFF (co-champion) | 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 (BCS National Championship Game) | No. 1 | No. 1 |
| 2014 | Urban Meyer | CFP, AP, Coaches, NFF | 14–1 | 8–0 | Won Sugar Bowl (CFP semifinal) Won CFP National Championship |
No. 1 | No. 1 |
| 2024 | Ryan Day | CFP, AP, Coaches, NFF | 14–2 | 7–2 | Won Rose Bowl (CFP quarterfinal) Won Cotton Bowl (CFP semifinal) Won CFP National Championship |
No. 1 | No. 1 |
Ohio State was also chosen as a national champion seven other times by different groups. But the Buckeyes do not officially recognize those wins.
Conference Championships
Ohio State joined the Big Ten Conference in 1912. Before that, they were part of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and won two OAC titles. Ohio State has won the Big Ten championship 39 times. This is the second-highest number of wins in the conference!
| Year | Conference | Coach | Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Championships
From 2011 to 2023, the Big Ten Conference was split into divisions. This helped decide which teams would play for the conference championship. The divisions were called Legends and Leaders at first. Then, in 2014, they changed to East and West based on geography. This division system ended in 2024.
| Year | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Big Ten Leaders | Urban Meyer | N/A – Ineligible (postseason ban) | |
| 2013 | Big Ten Leaders | Urban Meyer | Michigan State | L 24–34 |
| 2014 | Big Ten East | Urban Meyer | Wisconsin | W 59–0 |
| 2015† | Big Ten East | Urban Meyer | N/A lost tiebreaker to Michigan State | |
| 2016† | Big Ten East | Urban Meyer | N/A lost tiebreaker to Penn State | |
| 2017 | Big Ten East | Urban Meyer | Wisconsin | W 27–21 |
| 2018† | Big Ten East | Urban Meyer | Northwestern | W 45–24 |
| 2019 | Big Ten East | Ryan Day | Wisconsin | W 34–21 |
| 2020 | Big Ten East | Ryan Day | Northwestern | W 22–10 |
| 2021† | Big Ten East | Ryan Day | N/A lost tiebreaker to Michigan | |
† Co-champions
Perfect Seasons: Undefeated Records
The Buckeyes have had many amazing seasons where they didn't lose a single game!
| Year | Overall Record | Big Ten Record | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Game Appearances
Ohio State has played in 59 bowl games, winning 30 of them. They have been to the famous Rose Bowl 17 times! The team has decided that College Football Playoff (CFP) First Round games won't count as regular bowl appearances. Here are the bowl games under their current head coach, Ryan Day.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | New Year's Six | College Football Playoff |
|---|---|---|
| 30–29 | 23–15 | 7–4 |
Where the Buckeyes Play: Home Stadiums
The Buckeyes have played their home games at a few different places over the years:
- Recreation Park (1890–1897)
- Ohio Field (1898–1921)
- Ohio Stadium (1922–present)
The Amazing Marching Band
The Ohio State University Marching Band is super famous and a big part of Ohio State football! Before home games, they have four special traditions:
- Skull Session
- Ramp entrance
- The Back Bend
- Script Ohio
Big Games: Rivalries
Ohio State has some exciting rivalries with other college football teams.
Illinois Rivalry
The games against Illinois started way back in 1902. For a long time, they played each other every year. Ohio State usually wins this rivalry, leading the series 68–30–4 through the 2019 season.
Michigan Rivalry
Ohio State's first game against Michigan was in 1897. This is considered the Buckeyes' biggest rivalry! Michigan leads the series 62–51–6 through the 2024 season. During games at Ohio Stadium, you'll notice that all the letter "M"s are covered with red tape. Also, during halftime, the marching band often shows something funny happening to the Michigan logo!
Penn State Rivalry
When Penn State joined the Big Ten conference in 1993, they became another big rival for Ohio State. These two teams play each other every year. Ohio State leads this series 25–14 through the 2024 season.
Who Leads the Team: Coaches
The Buckeyes have had 24 head coaches in their long history. Of the nine national championships, Woody Hayes won five! Paul Brown, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer, and Ryan Day each won one.
Star Players and Awards
Ohio State players have won more major football awards than almost any other college team! They've won 34 big awards, and they are the only university to have won each of the most important awards at least once.
Retired Numbers
When a player's number is retired, it means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again. It's a huge honor!
| Ohio State Buckeyes Retired Numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Years Played | Year Retired | Ref. |
| 22 | Les Horvath | HB/QB | 1940–1942, 1944 | 2000 | |
| 27 | Eddie George | RB | 1992–1995 | 2001 | |
| 31 | Vic Janowicz | HB | 1949–1951 | 2000 | |
| 40 | Howard Cassady | HB | 1952–1955 | 2000 | |
| 45 | Archie Griffin | RB | 1972–1975 | 1999 | |
| 47 | Chic Harley | HB | 1916–1917, 1919 | 2004 | |
| 99 | Bill Willis | T | 1942–1944 | 2007 | |
Honored Numbers
Some numbers are "honored," which means they are special, but other players can still wear them.
| Ohio State Buckeyes Honored Numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Years Played | Year Honored | Ref. |
| 10 | Troy Smith | QB | 2003–2006 | 2014 | |
The Block O Jersey
In 2020, a new tradition started! The NCAA allowed teams to use the number 0. To honor Bill Willis, Coach Day decided that one special player would get to wear the number 0 each season.
| Season | Name | Pos. | Class | Previous No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Jonathon Cooper | DE | Senior (RS) | 18 |
| 2021 | Thayer Munford | OT | Senior (RS) | 75 |
| 2022 | Kamryn Babb | WR | Senior (RS) | 1 |
| 2023 | Xavier Johnson | WR | Senior (RS) | 10 |
| 2024 | Cody Simon | LB | Senior (RS) | 30 |
Honored Coaches
Two head coaches have also been honored with special banners at Ohio Stadium:
- Paul Brown (1941–43) - He led Ohio State to their first National Championship in 1942.
- Woody Hayes (1951–78) - He holds school records for 205 wins, five National Championships (1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970), and 13 Big Ten Championships!
Award Winners
Heisman Trophy Winners
Ohio State players have won the Heisman Trophy seven times! This ties them with Notre Dame and Oklahoma for the second-most awards for any school. Only USC has more. Archie Griffin is the only player in history to win the award twice!
| Season | Name | Pos. | Class | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (2) | RB | Senior | 1800 |
| 1995 | Eddie George | RB | Senior | 1460 |
| 2006 | Troy Smith | QB | Senior | 2540 |
Other Major Awards
Ohio State players have won many other important awards:
- The Lombardi Award (6 times)
- The Maxwell Award (4 times)
- The Outland Trophy (4 times)
- The Walter Camp Award (4 times)
- The Fred Biletnikoff Award (2 times)
- The Bronko Nagurski Trophy (2 times)
- The Dick Butkus Award (2 times)
- The Jim Thorpe Award (2 times)
- The Dave Rimington Trophy (4 times)
- The Chicago Tribune Silver Football (23 times)
- The Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year (13 times)
- The Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year (11 times)
Other awards include the Doak Walker Award, Ray Guy Award, Lou Groza Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Lott Trophy, James E. Sullivan Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, and Ted Hendricks Award.
All-American and All-Conference Honors
Since 1914, 199 Buckeyes have been named first-team All-Americans. This means they were recognized as the best players in the country at their positions! Also, 388 players have been named to the All-Big Ten team.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Many Ohio State players and coaches have been honored by being inducted into famous Halls of Fame.
College Football Hall of Fame
This Hall of Fame honors the best college football players and coaches.
| Name | Position | Year Inducted |
|---|---|---|
| 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
This Hall of Fame honors the best professional football players and coaches.
| Name | Position | Year Inducted |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
How to Listen and Watch: Media Coverage
The Buckeyes' games are broadcast on the radio by the Ohio State Sports Network. You can listen on WBNS (1460 AM) and WBNS-FM (97.1 FM) in Columbus, and on over 60 other stations in Ohio and West Virginia. Paul Keels is the play-by-play announcer, and former Buckeye Jim Lachey gives expert commentary.
WBNS-TV (channel 10) in Columbus is the "official TV home" of the Buckeyes. They show the official coach's show, Game Time with Ryan Day. You can also listen to Ohio State football games online through the student radio group, Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio.
Future Games: Upcoming Opponents
Here's a look at some of the teams Ohio State will play in the future.
Future Conference Opponents
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| at Illinois | at Indiana | at Michigan* | at Illinois |
| at Michigan* | at Iowa | at Minnesota | at Maryland |
| at Purdue | at Nebraska | at Northwestern | at Penn State |
| at Washington | at USC | at Oregon | at UCLA |
| at Wisconsin | Illinois | Maryland | Michigan* |
| Minnesota | Michigan* | Michigan State | Minnesota |
| Penn State | Northwestern | Nebraska | Rutgers |
| Rutgers | Oregon | Purdue | Washington |
| UCLA | USC | Wisconsin | Wisconsin |
(*) denotes protected matchup
Future Non-Conference Opponents
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | 2033 | 2034 | 2035 | 2036 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs Texas (8/30) | vs Ball State (9/5) | vs Bowling Green (9/4) | vs Buffalo (9/2) | vs Nevada (9/1) | at Georgia (9/14) | vs Georgia (8/30) | vs Boston College (9/15) | at Boston College (9/13) | |||
| vs Grambling State (9/6) | at Texas (9/12) | vs New Hampshire | at Alabama (9/9) | vs Charlotte (9/8) | |||||||
| vs Ohio (9/13) | vs Kent State (9/19) | vs Alabama (9/18) | vs Northern Illinois (9/16) |
- Ohio State has no opponents scheduled for 2034 yet.
Who Cheers Them On: Fan Base
A study in 2011 suggested that Ohio State has the most fans of any college football team! That's a lot of loyal supporters.
Images for kids
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The first Ohio State football team of 1890
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Paul Brown led the Buckeyes to their first national championship in 1942.
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Former Buckeyes QB/HB and 1944 Heisman Trophy winner Les Horvath.
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Woody Hayes won 205 games, five National Championships, and 13 Big Ten Championships as head coach.
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Former Buckeyes running back/receiver and 1955 Heisman Trophy winner Howard "Hopalong" Cassady.
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Former Buckeyes RB Archie Griffin, the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner (1974–75).
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Former Buckeyes RB Eddie George, who won the 1995 Heisman Trophy.
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Former head coach Jim Tressel led the Buckeyes to the 2002 National Championship.
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Former Buckeyes QB Troy Smith, the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner.
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Former head coach Urban Meyer led the Buckeyes to the 2014 national championship.
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The logo for the 2014 National Champion Buckeyes, celebrating 125 years of football.
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The famous Script Ohio.
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