Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States . The 34th largest state by area in the U . S . , it is the 7th ‑ most populous with nearly 11 . 5 million residents , containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500 , 000 or more . The state ' s capital is Columbus . The Anglicized name " Ohio " comes from the Iroquois word " ohi - yo ’ " , meaning " great river " . The state , originally partitioned from the Northwest Territory , was admitted to the Union as the 17th state ( and the first under the Northwest Ordinance ) on March 1 , 1803 . Although there are conflicting narratives regarding the origin of the nickname , Ohio is historically known as the " Buckeye State " ( relating to the Ohio buckeye tree ) and Ohioans are also known as " Buckeyes " . The government of Ohio is composed of the executive branch , led by the Governor ; the legislative branch , which comprises the Ohio General Assembly ; and the judicial branch , which is led by the Supreme Court . Currently , Ohio occupies 18 seats in the United States House of Representatives . Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections . Sports . Professional sports . Ohio is home to major professional sports teams in baseball , basketball , football , hockey , and soccer . The state ' s major professional sporting teams include : Cincinnati Reds ( Major League Baseball ) , Cleveland Indians ( Major League Baseball ) , Cincinnati Bengals ( National Football League ) , Cleveland Browns ( National Football League ) , Cleveland Cavaliers ( National Basketball Association ) , Columbus Blue Jackets ( National Hockey League ) , and the Columbus Crew ( Major League Soccer ) . Baseball ' s first fully professional team , the Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869 , were organized in Ohio . On a smaller scale , Ohio hosts minor league baseball , arena football , indoor football , mid - level hockey , and lower division soccer . The minor league baseball teams include : Akron Aeros ( affiliated with the Cleveland Indians ) , Chillicothe Paints ( independent ) , Columbus Clippers ( affiliated with the Cleveland Indians ) , Dayton Dragons ( affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds ) , Lake County Captains ( affiliated with the Cleveland Indians ) , Mahoning Valley Scrappers ( affiliated with the Cleveland Indians ) , and Toledo Mud Hens ( affiliated with the Detroit Tigers ) . Ohio ' s minor professional football teams include : Canton Legends ( American Indoor Football Association ) , Cincinnati Marshals ( National Indoor Football League ) , Cincinnati Sizzle ( National Women ' s Football Association ) , Cleveland Fusion ( National Women ' s Football Association ) , Cleveland Gladiators ( Arena Football League ) , Columbus Comets ( National Women ' s Football Association ) , Columbus Destroyers ( Arena Football League ) , Mahoning Valley Thunder ( af2 ) , Marion Mayhem ( Continental Indoor Football League ) , and Miami Valley Silverbacks ( Continental Indoor Football League ) . Ohio ' s alternative professional hockey teams include : Cincinnati Cyclones ( ECHL ) , Dayton Bombers ( ECHL ) , Lake Erie Monsters ( American Hockey League ) , Dayton Gems ( Central Hockey League ) , Mahoning Valley Phantoms ( North American Hockey League ) , Toledo Walleye ( ECHL ) , and Youngstown Steelhounds ( Central Hockey League ) . In lower division professional soccer , Ohio accommodates the Cincinnati Kings and Cleveland City Stars , both of the United Soccer League and the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL Premier Development League . Ohio is also home to the Akron Racers , a minor professional softball club , of National Pro Fastpitch . Former major league teams : College football . Ohio has eight NCAA Division I - A college football teams , divided among three different conferences . It has also experienced considerable success in the secondary and tertiary tiers of college football divisions . In Division I - A , representing the Big Ten , the Ohio State Buckeyes football team ranks 5th among all - time winningest programs , with seven national championships and seven Heisman Trophy winners . Their rivals are the Michigan Wolverines . They typically play each other in their last game of the regular season . As of December 2010 the Buckeyes have won the last seven matchups . Ohio has six teams represented in the MAC conference : the University of Akron , Bowling Green , Kent State , Miami University , Ohio University and the University of Toledo . The MAC Conference headquarters are based in Cleveland . The University of Cincinnati Bearcats represent Ohio in the Big East Conference . Division I - AA Youngstown State is a perennial power in the Missouri Valley Football Conference , having won four FBS National Championships under ( now OSU Head Coach ) Jim Tressel . Division III Mount Union College boasts a record - setting ten National Championships and also hold the record for 110 consecutive game winning streak from 1994 until 2005 . They have won two of the last three D - III National Championship games .