Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is a collegiate football team that competes as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , representing The Ohio State University in the Leaders Division of the Big Ten Conference . Ohio State has played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus , Ohio since 1922 . The Buckeyes claim seven national championships along with 36 conference championships and ten undefeated seasons . Ohio State is second among all Big Ten programs in terms of conference championships ( 34 ) and has an overall record of 460 - 195 - 28 in conference play . With 825 wins in over 122 seasons of football , Ohio State ranks fifth among all programs in terms of total wins and is fifth all - time in win – loss records in the NCAA . In 2009 , ESPN ranked Ohio State as the third most prestigious college football program in history behind only Southern California , ( USC ) , and Oklahoma . Football was introduced to the university by George Cole and Alexander S . Lilley in 1890 . Lilley led the Buckeyes to a record of three wins and five losses over his two seasons as head coach . Ohio State was a football independent from 1890 to 1901 before joining the Ohio Athletic Conference ( OAC ) as a charter member in 1902 . The Buckeyes won two conference championships while members of the OAC and in 1912 became members of the Big Ten Conference . The school saw its first real success in football and in the Big Ten under head coach John Wilce , who spent sixteen years at the university and won three conference championships , with a Rose Bowl appearance in 1928 . Ohio State won two more Big Ten titles under head coach Francis Schmidt and would win their first national championship in 1942 under legendary head coach Paul Brown . Following World War II , Ohio State saw sparse success on the football field with three separate coaches and in 1951 would hire Woody Hayes to coach the team . Under his guidance Ohio State won thirteen Big Ten championships and national championships in 1954 , 1957 , 1961 , 1968 and 1970 . During his tenure Ohio State appeared Rose Bowl eight times , with the Buckeyes winning four of them . Following Hayes ' dismissal in 1978 , Earle Bruce became the head coach , leading the Buckeyes to a conference championship and a Rose Bowl appearance in his first season . Bruce coached for the Buckeyes from 1979 to 1987 and was replaced in 1988 by John Cooper . Under Cooper and Bruce the Buckeyes won seven conference championships . Jim Tressel was hired as head coach in 2001 and quickly gave Ohio State its seventh national championship in 2002 with a win in the Fiesta Bowl . Ohio State won seven Big Ten championships under Tressel and appeared in eight Bowl Championship Series games , winning five of them . Through the 2011 season , Ohio State has compiled an official overall record of 837 wins , 316 losses , 53 ties and has appeared in 43 bowl game s , with the most recent coming in 2012 Gator Bowl . In late 2010 , it was found that five Buckeye players had improperly sold memorabilia to the owner of a tattoo parlor . The players were to be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 - 2012 season . Tressell decided against calls to suspend the players for the 2011 Sugar Bowl , which the Buckeyes went on to win 31 - 26 over Arkansas and their fifth BCS bowl victory since hiring Tressel . In March 2011 , it was discovered that Tressel had prior knowledge of the violations committed by his players , and he was suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season . After facing months of intense criticism and damning reports , Tressel resigned ( later changed to ' retired ' ) as head coach on May 31 , 2011 . Luke Fickell , assistant coach and former Buckeye player , was hired as the interim coach for the 2011 - 2012 season . Tressel left Ohio State as its third - winningest coach and won or shared 7 Big Ten titles . On November 28 , 2011 , two - time National Championship winning coach and native Ohioan Urban Meyer became head coach , and in his first year led the Buckeyes to a perfect 12 - 0 record , winning the 2012 Big Ten Leaders Division , though sanctions kept them from the 2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game and postseason bowl games . History . 1890 – 1933 : beginnings . In the spring of 1890 George Cole , an undergraduate , persuaded Alexander S . Lilley to coach a football team at the Ohio State University . The Buckeyes first game , played on May 3 , 1890 , at Delaware , Ohio , against Ohio Wesleyan University , was a victory . OSU ' s first home game took place at 2 : 30 p . m . on November 1 , 1890 . The Ohio State University played the University of Wooster on this site , which was then called Recreation Park . Just east of historic German Village , the park occupied the north side of Schiller ( now Whittier ) between Ebner and Jaeger in what is now Schumacher Place . The weather was perfect , and the crowd cheered loudly . Nonetheless , OSU lost to Wooster , 64 – 0 . Wooster , physically fit for the game , showed OSU that training is critical to winning . Thus , the tradition of training continues . 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 Segrist was fatally injured in a game 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 one of the greatest players to attend an Ohio high school . He passed , ran , received , punted , kicked and played defense . Harley came to Ohio State in 1916 and Columbus fans instantly fell in love with the Chic . Harley and the Buckeyes won the very first Big Ten championship in school history in 1916 when the Buckeyes finished 7 – 0 . He would repeat in 1917 finshing 8 – 0 – 1 , giving the Buckeyes a second outright title . In 1918 , he left to be a pilot in the air force for World War I . With Harley ' s return in 1919 , the Buckeyes would only lose one game — to Illinois . Chic 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 very 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 18 - 6 , OSU . 1934 – 1950 : the rise of a powerhouse . 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 shut - out . 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 . Ohio State hired the coach of Massillon 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 and 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 . 1951 – 1978 : the Woody Hayes era . 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 ( his first and the team ' s second ) . 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 ( the sole reception was the only completion in the final three games of the year ) , leading to characterization of Hayes ' style of offensive play as " three yards and a cloud of dust " . In a 1955 article in " Sports Illustrated " , Hayes admitted 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 . In 1957 Ohio State won all of its remaining games after an opening loss to claim the Big Ten championship , win the Rose Bowl over Oregon , and share a national championship title with Auburn , for which Hayes was named Coach of the Year . 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 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 its national champion for 1970 . 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 equally 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 . ( The tie was more galling for the Wolverines , however , as the Big Ten selected Ohio State to represent the conference in the Rose Bowl . ) 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 ( Ohio State lost only twice in the regular season during Griffin ' s 4 - year career , both to the Spartans ) , and the next year the # 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 – 75 , winning the Big Ten all four years and never losing to Michigan , but each loss and the tie were crucial in failing to win another championship . Archie Griffin , however , received the Heisman Trophy for both years , off - setting much of the frustration , and amassed 5 , 589 yards in his career . The falloff in 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 ( the rules had changed to allow appearances in other than the Rose Bowl ) . 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 . 1979 – 1987 : Bruce era . Hayes was replaced by a former protégé , Earle Bruce . Bruce inherited a strong team led by sophomore quarterback Art Schlichter but that had also lost eleven 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 . The 1980 team was selected as the top - ranked team of the pre - season AP poll and opened the season with four games at home , but were shocked in the fourth game by UCLA , shut out 17 - 0 . The team rebounded to win its next six easily , but then were shut down by a ball - control Michigan team that allowed the Buckeyes only 23 minutes with the ball , then lost again to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl . In 1981 , Ohio State opened strong , including a victory at Stanford in which senior Art Schlichter out - dueled John Elway , but then lost back - to - back games to Florida State and Wisconsin ( their first victory over the Buckeyes in 22 games ) . The Buckeyes continued to struggle on defense , losing a third time , at Minnesota . Victories over Michigan to gain a share of the Big Ten championship and over Navy in the Liberty Bowl salvaged the season . 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 . Byars broke his toe just prior to the start of the 1985 season , ending his Heisman hopes and seriously handicapping the Buckeye attack . He returned against Purdue with Ohio State at 4 - 1 and scored twice , but then re - injured his foot the next week against Minnesota . Iowa was top - ranked nationally when they came into Ohio Stadium favored to end the longest home winning streak in the country , and were the first # 1 team the Buckeyes faced since Purdue in 1968 . Ohio State ' s defense dominated with four interceptions to win 22 - 13 . 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 headband s bearing the word " EARLE " , then declined an invitation to play in the Sun Bowl . 1988 – 2000 : Cooper era . 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 thirteen years as 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 ( albeit shared ) . Cooper also recruited 15 players who were first - round draft picks in the National Football League . Both 1988 and 1989 began identically : an impressive season - opening win followed by an embarrassing loss to a highly - regarded team ( Pitt and USC ) ; a rebound win against two other highly - regarded programs ( LSU and Boston College ) 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 9 - 4 , notable primarily as the season that sophomore running back Robert Smith quit the team . 1992 , with senior Kirk Herbstreit at quarterback , was 8 - 3 - 1 , but the losing string 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 . The next 6 seasons were very successful , winning ten or more games in 5 of the 6 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 ( 1993 , 1995 , and 1996 ) 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 . In January 2001 , the Ohio State University dismissed Cooper . 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 ( which was actually considered by most people to be the biggest reason for his firing ) , 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 . 2001 – 2011 : the Jim Tressel era . 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 ( all but one loss was by a touchdown or less ) , but he made good on his promise , beating Michigan in Ann Arbor . 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 " . 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 . In December 2010 it was announced that five student - athletes on the Ohio State University football team will be suspended from the first five games of the 2011 season for NCAA violations . The punishments stem from an incident in which at least 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 championship rings . On January 4 , 2011 , Ohio State completed its season with a 31 - 26 win over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl . The Sugar Bowl win would have marked Ohio State ' s first bowl victory over a Southeastern Conference opponent in ten attempts , but the win was later vacated due to NCAA violations . Ohio State ended up with an 0 - 1 record for the 2010 season after vacating wins for NCAA violations . On March 8 , 2011 Jim Tressel was suspended for 2 games , and fined $ 250 , 000 for not informing the university and the NCAA that he had information that 5 of his players received improper benefits from a tattoo shop in downtown Columbus . Among those 5 players , including Mike Adams , Dan Herron , DeVier Posey , Solomon Thomas , Jordan Whiting , was quarterback Terrelle Pryor . The 5 players are suspended for the first 5 games of the 2011 season . Coach Tressel ' s suspension was also later increased to 5 games by the University . The NCAA filed a letter of allegations in late April , 2011 with Ohio State University alleging that Tressel lied to the NCAA in December , 2010 when he claimed to have no knowledge of the players activities with the tattoo shop . Furthermore , he is alleged to have knowingly used ineligible players during the 2010 season . On May 30 , 2011 Jim Tressel resigned as head coach . A 6 June 2011 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 . 2011 : Luke Fickell . 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 won ' t have to pay a $ 250 , 000 fine for his involvement in the scandal . His status is also changed from ' Resigned ' to " Retired " in keeping with his wishes to " remain a Buckeye for life . " Ohio State named Luke Fickell as interim head coach 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 . 2012 – present : Urban Meyer . 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 will not include a postseason contest , as the Buckeyes were given a one - year bowl ban on December 20 , 2011 . The NCAA also issued sanctions which include the loss of three scholarships each year for the next three years and three years ' probation to end on December 19 , 2014 . Ohio State previously vacated all wins from the 2010 season , its Big Ten Conference championship and 2011 Sugar Bowl win , and forfeited the school ' s share of Sugar Bowl proceeds . In Meyer ' s first year , the Buckeyes went a perfect 12 - 0 , winning the 2012 Big Ten Leaders Division , though sanctions kept them from the 2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game and postseason bowl games . The Buckeyes will play their 2013 Spring game at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati , home of the Bengals . Traditions . Ohio State football is rich in traditions . The following are football traditions in chronological order of longevity : Begun in 1913 by head coach John Wilce , seniors on the team are recognized at the last practice of the season , either before the Michigan game or before departing Columbus to play in a bowl game , and hit the blocking sled a final time . The winner of the Ohio State - Illinois game has been awarded the Illibuck trophy since 1925 . Until 1927 the teams played for a live turtle , however , since the 1928 season the trophy is a carved wooden likeness of a turtle . A gold miniature charm depicting a pair of football pants is given to all players and coaches following a victory over the Michigan Wolverines . The tradition began as the result of a comment to reporters by newly hired head coach Francis Schmidt on March 2 , 1934 : " How about Michigan ? They put their pants on one leg at a time , the same as we do ! " The first gold pants , which were a creation of Simon Lazarus ( president of the Lazarus chain of department stores ) and Herbert Levy , were awarded that year for a 34 - 0 defeat of the Wolverines . 1934 also saw the first gathering of former team captains for breakfast on the Sunday following the Homecoming game . The event began when local businessman Walter Jeffrey invited twenty former captains to the Scioto Country Club to honor them , and continues to welcome new captains and award them mug s bearing their names and season . Begun in 1934 , each player who wins " first - team All - America " honors is recognized by the planting of a buckeye tree and installation of a plaque in Buckeye Grove , now located near the southwestern corner of Ohio Stadium next to Morrill Tower . Trees are planted in ceremonies held prior to the Spring Game . All 126 Buckeye All - Americans dating back to 1914 have been so honored . Since 1935 the annual game against Michigan has been the final meeting of the regular season for both teams . The week prior to " The Game " , known as Michigan Week , is characterized by scheduled school spirit and public service events , such as rallies , touch football games , and blood drives ; and by massive displays of school colors and banners in much of Ohio . In an unofficial culmination to Michigan Week , since 1990 on the Thursday night before " The Game " students have participated in the " Mirror Lake jump " , an unofficial gathering at Mirror Lake , a pond between Pomerene Hall and The Oval , in which masses of students jump into the water . Since 1938 the registered student organization Block O has been the " Official Cheering Section " of the Buckeyes . " " Known for spreading spirit , starting cheers and performing card stunts , Block ' O ' was founded . . . by Clancy Isaac " . " They occupy Section 39A in the South grandstand of Ohio Stadium , next to the band . The Victory Bell is rung after every Ohio State victory by members of Alpha Phi Omega , a tradition that began after the Bucks beat California October 2 , 1954 . Reputedly the ringing can be heard five miles away " on a calm day . " Located 150 feet high in the southeast tower of Ohio Stadium , the bell was a gift of the classes of 1943 , 1944 and 1945 , and weighs 2 , 420 pounds . The bell is rung for 15 minutes following a victory and for 30 minutes following a victory over Michigan . Beginning in 1965 , Brutus Buckeye has appeared at all Ohio State football games as the live mascot of the Buckeyes . In 2007 he was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame and is now one of the most recognized mascots in the United States . First played at the Illinois game of October 9 , 1965 , the rock song " Hang on Sloopy " is now played by the marching band before the start of the fourth quarter , with fans performing an O - H - I - O chant in the intervals between the refrain s . The song is also played to encourage the team ' s defensive players when opponents are moving the ball on offense late in a game . This is also played before the fourth quarter at Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals games , as well as during Cleveland Indians , Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Cavaliers , and Columbus Blue Jackets games . Since 1967 , the helmets of Ohio State players have been adorned with white decals approximately the size of a quarter depicting a buckeye leaf , awarded for making significant plays and for consistency of performance . In the 1970s , the decals were approximately the size of a Silver Dollar until the 1979 Season . Most believe that this practice began in 1968 when The Buckeyes switched to their present Silver Helmet design since the decals have become identified with that helmet . Before the Ohio State / Michigan game at the end of the season , OSU students typically jump into Mirror Lake , located on campus , the Thursday night before the game . The tradition is thought to bring good luck to the football team the following gameday . The Tunnel of Pride began with the 1994 Michigan game when all former players who were in attendance formed a tunnel through which the team ran to take the field , and Ohio State beat its rival that day , 22 – 6 . Rex Kern , quarterback of the 1968 National Championship team , and then Director of Athletics Andy Geiger together used the concept as a means of connecting current Buckeyes with those who played before them . The Tunnel of Pride was next formed for the 1995 Notre Dame game , which the Buckeyes also won . In each home game against Michigan since , the tradition has been repeated . Instituted by Coach Tressel in 2001 , at the conclusion of all home games the coaches , players and cheerleaders gather in the south end zone next to the marching band to sing the university ' s alma mater , " Carmen Ohio " , to the student section . Tressel brought to the Buckeye football program two pre - game traditions he developed at Youngstown State . Prior to its warmup routine before every football game , the team exits the locker room as a unit in a controlled manner , linked arm - in - arm in a group known as " The Hive " . After warmups the team returns to the locker room , and when it next appears , runs onto the field and forms a circle of players around the strength coach , then they go through their warmup routine . Marching band . The Marching Band , often referred to as " The Best Damn Band In The Land " or by the acronym TBDBITL is the most visible and possibly best - known tradition of Ohio State football . Home games are preceded by three much - anticipated traditions , and a fourth , " dotting the ' i ' " of Script Ohio , enjoys a reputation all its own : Rivalries . While its rivalry with the University of Michigan is its most renowned and intense , Ohio State has two other series marked by their longevity , both Big Ten Conference rivals , those of Indiana and Illinois . The series versus Indiana began as a non - conference matchup , with Indiana going undefeated at 4 - 0 - 1 . In conference , however , the Buckeyes ( despite losing the opening conference game ) are 65 - 8 - 4 through the 2006 season , the most wins against any opponent . Illinois also began with non - conference games ( 0 - 1 - 1 ) but became the longest continuous series in 2002 when the schools played in their 89th consecutive year . ( That record was tied by Michigan in 2007 . ) Through 2009 Ohio State ' s record against the Illini is 62 - 30 - 4 . In 2007 , Ohio State was given their only defeat of the regular season by the Illini . When Penn State was added to the 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 , and Illinois was set to be paired with in - state rival Northwestern and neighboring Indiana , and in doing so undermined Ohio State ' s historical rivalry with Illinois . With Nebraska ' s entry to the Big Ten and the establishment of division play in football , Ohio State and Illinois will again play every season in the Leaders Division beginning in 2011 . Michigan is the Buckeyes ' permanent cross - division rival from the Legends Division . Coaches . The Buckeyes have had 24 coaches in their 121 - year history . Woody Hayes is the coach who has won the most national championships at five . Paul Brown and Jim Tressel also each have one for seven total . Championships . National championships . The following is a list of Ohio State ' s recognized national championships : Ohio State also has also been awarded titles unrecognized by both the NCAA and the University in : 1933 , 1944 , 1969 , 1973 , 1974 , 1975 , 1998 Conference championships . Ohio State joined the Big Ten in 1913 ; 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 34 times , second most in the conference and third most conference titles of any school in any conference . § – Conference co - champions All - time records . All - time Big Ten records . This table reflects the results of Big 10 matchups , i . e . , games when both OSU and its opponent were members of the conference . Ohio State began Big Ten play in 1913 . Examples of excluded results are Chicago after 1939 , Michigan between 1907 - 1916 , Michigan State before 1953 , Penn State before 1993 , and Nebraska before 2011 . " ( See Big Ten History for further information ) . " Ohio State ' s vacated wins from 2010 are NOT included . " ( See 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes football team for further information . ) " Penn State ' s victories over Ohio State that were vacated from 1998 - 2011 are included , as they still count as losses for Ohio State . " ( See NCAA and Big Ten sanctions for Penn State and Wikipedia ' s explanation for vacated victories in the NCAA as well for further information ) . " " Updated through the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season . " 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 ( Oklahoma ) . Ohio State is the only university to have received each of the awards at least once . Of the five awards created prior to 1980 ( Heisman , Lombardi , Maxwell , Outland , and Walter Camp ) , Ohio State has received the most with 25 ( Notre Dame follows with 23 ) . Heisman Trophy winners . Ohio State players have won the Heisman Trophy seven times , which ties Notre Dame ( 7 ) for the most awards for any school . Archie Griffin is the only two - time recipient in the history of the award . Lombardi Award . Ohio State players have won the Lombardi Award six times . Orlando Pace is the only two - time recipient in the history of the award . 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 . Three Ohio State players have won the Walter Camp Award : All - American and All - Conference honors . Through 2006 129 Buckeyes have been named first team All - Americans since 1914 . Of those , have been consensus picks . 234 have been named to the All - Big Ten team , and 15 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 . Team season MVPs . 1930 : Wes Fesler - ( E ) - Big Ten MVP 1931 : Robert Haubrich - ( OT ) 1932 : Lew Hinchman - ( HB ) 1933 : Mickey Vuchinich - ( FB ) 1934 : Gomer Jones - ( C ) 1935 : Gomer Jones - ( C ) 1936 : Ralph Wolf - ( C ) 1937 : Ralph Wolf - ( C ) 1938 : Jim Langhurst - ( FB ) 1939 : Steve Andrako - ( C ) 1940 : Don Scott - ( C ) 1941 : Jack Graf - ( FB ) - Big Ten MVP 1942 : Chuck Csuri - ( OT ) 1943 : Gordon Appleby - ( C ) 1944 : Les Horvath - ( QB ) - Big Ten MVP 1945 : Ollie Cline - ( FB ) - Big Ten MVP 1946 : Cecil Souders - ( E ) 1947 : Dave Templeton - ( G ) 1948 : Joe Whisler - ( FB ) 1949 : Jack Lininger - ( C ) 1950 : Vic Janowicz - ( HB ) - Big Ten MVP 1951 : Vic Janowicz - ( HB ) 1952 : Fred Bruney - ( HB ) 1953 : George Jacoby - ( T ) 1954 : Howard Cassady - ( HB ) 1955 : Howard Cassady - ( HB ) - Big Ten MVP 1956 : Jim Parker - ( G ) 1957 : Bill Jobko - ( G ) 1958 : Jim Houston - ( E ) 1959 : Jim Houston - ( E ) 1960 : Tom Matte - ( QB ) 1961 : Bob Ferguson - ( FB ) 1962 : Billy Armstrong - ( C ) 1963 : Matt Snell - ( FB ) 1964 : Ed Orazen - ( DL ) 1965 : Doug Van Horn - ( OG ) 1966 : Ray Pryor - ( C ) 1967 : Dirk Worden - ( LB ) 1968 : Mark Stier - ( LB ) 1969 : Jim Otis - ( FB ) 1970 : Jim Stillwagon - ( DL ) 1971 : Tom DeLeone - ( C ) 1972 : George Hasenohrl - ( DL ) 1973 : Archie Griffin - ( RB ) - Big Ten MVP 1974 : Archie Griffin - ( RB ) - Big Ten MVP 1975 : Cornelius Greene - ( QB ) - Big Ten MVP 1976 : Bob Brudzinski - ( DE ) 1977 : Dave Adkins - ( LB ) 1978 : Tom Cousineau - ( LB ) 1979 : Jim Laughlin - ( LB ) 1980 : Calvin Murray - ( TB ) 1981 : Art Schlichter - ( QB ) - Big Ten MVP 1982 : Tim Spencer - ( RB ) 1983 : John Frank - ( TE ) 1984 : Keith Byars - ( RB ) - Big Ten MVP 1985 : Jim Karsatos - ( QB ) 1986 : Cris Carter - ( WR ) 1987 : Chris Spielman - ( LB ) 1988 : Jeff Uhlenhake - ( C ) 1989 : Derek Isaman - ( LB ) 1990 : Jeff Graham - ( WR ) 1991 : Carlos Snow - ( TB ) 1992 : Kirk Herbstreit - ( QB ) 1993 : Raymont Harris - ( TB ) 1994 : Korey Stringer - ( OT ) 1995 : Eddie George - ( TB ) - Big Ten MVP 1996 : Orlando Pace - ( OT ) - Big Ten MVP 1997 : Antoine Winfield - ( DB ) 1998 : Joe Germaine - ( QB ) - Big Ten MVP 1999 : Ahmed Plummer - ( DB ) 2000 : Derek Combs - ( TB ) 2001 : Jonathan Wells - ( TB ) 2002 : Craig Krenzel - ( QB ) / Chris Gamble - ( WR / DB ) 2003 : Michael Jenkins - ( WR ) 2004 : Mike Nugent - ( PK ) 2005 : A . J . Hawk - ( LB ) 2006 : Troy Smith - ( QB ) - Big Ten MVP 2007 : Chris Wells - ( TB ) 2008 : Chris Wells - ( TB ) 2009 : Kurt Coleman - ( SS ) 2010 : Dane Sanzenbacher - ( WR ) 2011 : Daniel Herron - ( TB ) 2012 : Braxton Miller - ( QB ) Ohio State ' s All - Time Team . Offense WR Santonio Holmes 2003 - 05 WR Cris Carter 1984 - 86 WR Terry Glenn 1993 - 95 WR David Boston 1996 - 98 TE John Frank 1980 - 83 OL Jim Parker 1954 - 56 OL Korey Stringer 1992 - 94 OL Gomer Jones 1934 - 35 OL John Hicks 1970 , 72 - 73 OL Orlando Pace 1994 - 96 QB Troy Smith 2002 - 06 RB Howard " Hopalong " Cassady 1952 - 55 RB Archie Griffin 1972 - 75 RB Eddie George 1992 - 95 K Mike Nugent Defense DL Will Smith DL Bill Willis 1942 - 44 DL Jim Stillwagon 1968 - 70 DL Dan Wilkinson 1992 - 93 DL Mike Vrabel 1993 - 96 NT Scott ' Iceberg ' Kinghorn 1945 - 46 exp team LB Tom Cousineau 1975 - 78 LB Chris Spielman 1984 - 87 LB Andy Katzenmoyer 1996 - 98 LB James Laurinaitis 2005 - 08 LB AJ Hawk 2002 - 05 DB Vic Janowicz 1949 - 51 DB Jack Tatum 1968 - 70 DB Chris Gamble 2001 - 03 DB Malcolm Jenkins 2005 - 08 DB Antoine Winfield 1995 - 98 P Tom Skladany 1973 - 1976 NCAA Coach of the Year . Three Ohio State head coaches have received the Paul " Bear " Bryant Award as NCAA Coach of the Year a total of five times : In addition , two coaches were voted " National Coach of the Year " before the inception of the Bryant Award . Carroll Widdoes , acting head coach after Paul Brown had entered the United States Navy , was voted the honor in 1944 . Brown himself was voted the honor in 1942 for winning the National Championship but declined in favor of Georgia Institute of Technology ' s Bill Alexander . Academic awards and achievements . Rhodes Scholarship . On December 6 , 1985 , Mike Lanese was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford . College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All - Americans . Academic All - American Hall of Fame Class of 1992 Randy Gradishar Academic All - American Player of the Year 2003 : Craig Krenzel ( Quarterback ) Academic All - Americans 1952 : John Borton ( Quarterback ) 1954 : Dick Hilnski ( Tackle ) 1958 : Bob White ( Fullback ) 1961 : Tom Perdue ( End ) 1965 : Bill Ridder ( Middle Guard ) 1966 : Dave Foley ( Offensive Tackle ) 1967 : Dave Foley ( Offensive Tackle ) 1968 : Dave Foley ( Offensive Tackle ) 1969 : Bill Urbanik ( Defensive Tackle ) 1971 : Rick Simon ( Offensive Tackle ) 1973 : Randy Gradishar ( Linebacker ) 1974 : Brian Baschnagel ( Running Back ) 1975 : Brian Baschnagel ( Running Back ) 1976 : Pete Johnson ( Fullback ) 1977 : Jeff Logan ( Running Back ) 1980 : Marcus Marek ( Linebacker ) 1982 : Joe Smith ( Offensive Tackle ) 1982 : John Frank ( Tight End ) 1983 : John Frank ( Tight End ) 1983 : Dave Crecelius ( Defensive Tackle ) 1984 : Dave Crecelius ( Defensive Tackle ) 1984 : Mike Lanese ( Wide Receiver ) 1984 : Anthony Tiuliani ( Defensive Tackle ) 1985 : Mike Lanese ( Wide Receiver ) 1987 : Joe Staysniak ( Offensive Tackle ) 1989 : Joe Staysniak ( Offensive Tackle ) 1990 : Greg Smith ( Defensive Line ) 1992 : Len Hartman ( Offensive Guard ) 1992 : Greg Smith ( Defensive Line ) 1995 : Greg Bellisari ( Linebacker ) 1996 : Greg Bellisari ( Linebacker ) 1998 : Jerry Rudzinski ( Linebacker ) 1999 : Ahmed Plummer ( Cornerback ) 2002 : Craig Krenzel ( Quarterback ) 2003 : Craig Krenzel ( Quarterback ) 2006 : Anthony Gonzalez ( Wide Receiver ) 2006 : Stan White , Jr ( Fullback ) 2007 : Brian Robiskie ( Wide Receiver ) 2008 : Brian Robiskie ( Wide Receiver ) National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame . Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy ( " Academic Heisman " ) National Scholar - Athlete Awards Ohio State ' s eighteen NFF Scholar - Athlete Awards rank second only to Nebraska ' s twenty among all college football programs . College Football Hall of Fame Beginning with Chic Harley and Howard Jones in the 1951 inaugural class , Ohio State has had 30 former players and coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Buckeyes in the NFL . 40 former Ohio State players are currently active on rosters of National Football League teams : Mike Adams ( offensive tackle ) Will Allen , Kirk Barton , Alex Boone , Bobby Carpenter , Nate Clements , Na ' il Diggs , Marcus Freeman , Chris Gamble , Ted Ginn , Jr . , Thaddeus Gibson , Anthony Gonzalez , Larry Grant , Brian Hartline , Ben Hartsock , A . J . Hawk , Santonio Holmes , Kevin Houser , Malcolm Jenkins , Michael Jenkins , James Laurinaitis , Nick Mangold , Donnie Nickey , Mike Nugent , Orlando Pace , Kenny Peterson , Ryan Pickett , Jay Richardson , Brian Robiskie , Rob Sims , Antonio Smith , Will Smith , Shawn Springs , Donald Washington , Chris Wells , Donte Whitner , Matt Wilhelm , Antoine Winfield , Ashton Youboty , Jake Ballard , Kurt Coleman and Dane Sanzenbacher . Former notable NFL players who played at Ohio State include : Lou Groza , Dante Lavelli , Jim Parker , Bill Willis , Paul Warfield , Jim Marshall , Jim Houston , Jack Tatum , Randy Gradishar , Dick Schafrath , Jim Lachey , Tom Tupa , Chris Spielman , Robert Smith , Korey Stringer , Raymont Harris , Cris Carter , and Eddie George . Groza , Lavelli , Parker , Warfield , and Willis have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame . In the 2004 NFL Draft , 14 Buckeyes were drafted , a record number for any school in a single draft . Players selected in NFL Drafts . With two first - round selections in 2007 , the Buckeyes have the second most first - round selections all - time in the history of the NFL Draft , one fewer than USC ( 67 ) . The Buckeyes had another first round selection in 2008 , and two more in 2009 . The following are the lists of Ohio State players selected in the NFL Draft since 2004 . Pro Football Hall of Fame . Beginning with Paul Brown in 1967 , Ohio State has had 8 former players or coaches enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame tied for third most , only behind Notre Dame ( 10 ) and USC ( 11 ) . Radio and TV . The Ohio State football radio network comprises roughly 60 stations statewide ( with a couple of stations in nearby border states ) . The flagship stations are WBNS AM 1460 and WBNS FM 97 . 1 in Columbus . In Ohio ' s major cities , the games are heard on WKNR AM 850 ( Cleveland ) , WDJO AM 1480 ( Cincinnati ) , and WLQR AM 1470 / WLQR FM 106 . 5 ( Toledo ) . The announcers are Paul Keels on play by play , former Buckeye LT Jim Lachey as color analyst , sideline reporter Marty Bannister , and Skip Mosic as producer / halftime host . WBNS - TV channel 10 in Columbus ( CBS ) is the long standing " official TV home " of the Buckeyes , airing the official coach ' s show " Game Time with Urban Meyer " ( simulcast statewide on FS Ohio ) .