Ohio State Buckeyes football


The Ohio State Buckeyes football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, representing Ohio State University in the East Division of the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State has played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio since 1922. The Buckeyes are recognized by the university and NCAA as having won eight national championships along with 40 conference championships, eight division championships, 10 undefeated seasons, and six perfect seasons. As of 2017, the football program is valued at $1.5 billion, the highest valuation of any such program in the country.
The first Ohio State game was a 20–14 victory over Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, on May 3, 1890. The team was a football independent from 1890 to 1901 before joining the Ohio Athletic Conference 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.
Ohio State won their first national championship in 1942 under head coach Paul Brown. Following World War II, Ohio State saw sparse success on the football field with three separate coaches and in 1951 hired Woody Hayes to coach the team. Under Hayes, Ohio State won over 200 games, 13 Big Ten championships and five national championships, and had four Rose Bowl wins in eight appearances. Following Hayes' dismissal in 1978, Earle Bruce and later John Cooper coached the team to a combined seven conference championships between them. Jim Tressel was hired as head coach in 2001 and led Ohio State to its seventh national championship in 2002. Under Tressel, Ohio State won seven Big Ten championships and appeared in eight Bowl Championship Series games, winning five of them. In November 2011, Urban Meyer became head coach. Under Meyer, the team went 12–0 in his first season and set a school record with 24 consecutive victories, won three Big Ten championships, and won the first College Football Playoff National Championship in 2014.

History

Beginnings (1890–1933)

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 an 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 persuaded Lilley to coach the football team during its first full season 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 Segrist 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 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 finishing 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.

Francis Schmidt (1934–1940)

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.

Paul Brown (1941–1943)

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.

Carroll Widdoes (1944–1945), Paul Bixler (1946) and Wes Fesler (1947–1950)

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.

Woody Hayes era (1951–1978)

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 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 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 only two-time Heisman Trophy winner in college football history
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 #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. 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 (1979–1987)

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 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.
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. 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 headbands bearing the word "EARLE", then declined an invitation to play in the Sun Bowl.

John Cooper (1988–2000)

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. 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 ; 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 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.
, who won the 1995 Heisman Trophy.
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 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, 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 (2001–2010)

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. 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.
, the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner
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 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 its wins for NCAA violations.

"Tattoogate"

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 0–1, with their only official game being a loss to Wisconsin.
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 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 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 (2012–2018)

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 were 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.
The Buckeyes played their 2013 Spring game at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, home of the Bengals on April 13, 2013. The Scarlet won 31–14.
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 10 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.
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.
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 their 2 next 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. That win streak came to an end as the team lost a heart-breaker to the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Buckeyes would win the rest of their regular season games going 11–1. They would not play in the Big Ten Championship as Penn State took the division. In a controversial call, the College Football Playoff committee would give Ohio State a spot in the Playoff. Ohio State would then lose 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 Buckeyes would then fall short to the Oklahoma Sooners the next week. The Buckeyes would win the next 6 games of the season, including a win over a Penn State team that was ranked number 2 in the nation in a revenge game of sorts. However, the Buckeyes suffered an embarrassing defeat against the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Buckeyes would end the season 12-2 overall, winning out the rest of their games including a Big Ten Championship victory over Wisconsin and a Cotton Bowl victory over USC.
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 archival 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 (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.

Championships

National championships

The following is a list of Ohio State's national championships as recognized by both the university and the NCAA:

Undefeated seasons

Conference championships

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 38 times, second most in the conference and third most conference titles of any school in any conference.
† Co-champions

Divisional championships

Since 2011, Big Ten has moved to divisions to ultimately 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.
† Co-champions

Bowl games

Ohio State has appeared in 51 bowl games earning a 25–26 record through the 2019 season.
† Vacated

Home venues

The 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:
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 are 70–8–4 through the 2014 season, the most wins against any opponent. Illinois also began with non-conference games but became the longest continuous series in 2002 when the schools played in their 89th consecutive year. Through 2014 Ohio State's record against the Illini is 66–30–4. 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 despite 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 played every season in the Leaders Division from 2011 to 2013. Michigan was the Buckeyes' permanent cross-division rival from the Legends Division.
With the addition of Maryland and Rutgers to the Big Ten, Ohio State and Illinois will be in separate divisions and will no longer meet every year. Ohio State and Michigan also became East Division rivals.

Coaches

The Buckeyes have had 24 head coaches in their 121-year history. Of the team's eight national championships to date, Woody Hayes won five. Paul Brown, Jim Tressel, and Urban Meyer also each have 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 November 9, 2019. 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. Ohio State's vacated wins from 2010 are NOT included.

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.

Retired numbers

Note - #10 and all future numbers are to be considered enshrined rather than retired, and will still be available to be worn. All previously retired jersey numbers will remain retired.

Honored coaches

Two head coaches have also been honored by the Buckeyes, with banners at Ohio Stadium:
Ohio State players have won the Heisman Trophy seven times, which ties Notre Dame and Oklahoma 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:
;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:
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Ohio State Players have won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy award twice:
;Dick Butkus Award
Ohio State players have won the Dick Butkus Award twice:
;Jim Thorpe Award
Ohio State players have won the Jim Thorpe Award twice:
Dave Rimington Trophy
Ohio State players have won the Dave Rimington Trophy three times:
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
Ohio State players have won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award 21 times:
Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year
Ohio State players have won the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year nine times:
Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year
Ohio State players have won the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year 11 times:
;Other awards
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
;1920s
;1930s
;1940s
;1950s
;1960s
;1970s
;1980s
;1990s
;2000s
;2010s
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 –

All-Century Team

Paul "Bear" Bryant Award

College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America

Academic All-American Hall of Fame

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

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

National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame

William V. Campbell Trophy

Ohio State's 18 NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards rank second only to Nebraska's 20 among all college football programs.
Beginning with Chic Harley and Howard Jones in the 1951 inaugural class, Ohio State has had 32 former players and coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
The Buckeyes are covered on the radio by the 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 current play-by-play announcer, while former Buckeye left guard Jim Lachey serves as color analyst. They are joined by sideline reporter Matt Andrews 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 non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of June 18, 2020.
vs Bowling Green vs Oregon vs Notre Dame vs San Jose State at Washington vs. Texas vs. Ball State vs. Alabama at Alabama at Georgia vs Georgia
at Oregon vs Tulsa vs Arkansas State vs Western Kentucky vs Washington at Texas at Boston College
vs Buffalo vs Akron vs Toledo at Notre Dame vs. UConn vs Boston College

Fan base

In 2011, a study conducted by Nate Silver of the New York Times determined that Ohio State had the most fans of any college football team.