Big changes announced for the Ohio State football game-day experience at The Shoe

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio State is making major changes this fall at Ohio Stadium in the hopes of offering the best damn football experience in the land.

According to the university, the athletic department announced it has reimagined the game-day experience at The Shoe. Called Tradition Evolved, OSU has created a vision in its goal to evolve and promote a bigger and better – and louder – experience at Ohio Stadium.

“Tradition at Ohio State is our North Star,” athletics director Ross Bjork said. “As this process unfolded, we wanted to protect and honor our tradition while also evolving it with purpose, passion, and with Buckeye Nation at the heart of it.”

Beginning with new pre-game traditions while keeping staples of traditions’ past, Ohio State has announced the following changes, beginning August 30, when the Buckeyes host the Texas Longhorns, which sits atop the Nation’s preseason Coaches’ Poll released Monday morning. The game marks the first matchup between the top two ranked teams in the country to begin a college football season.

Victory Bell Ringer

The university said that the tradition of the Alpha Phi Omega members ringing the Victory Bell will remain after each Buckeye win. However, this fall, the bell will now sound before the team storms the field. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of his second Heisman Trophy, Archie Griffin will serve as the first pregame Victory Bell “ringer”.

Griffin will also serve as an ambassador with Alpha Phi Omega in selecting new bell ringers for each home game. The bell will also serve as the official sound of 3rd down when the defense is on the field.

THE Towel

All fans in attendance will receive THE Towel at the Buckeye’s home opener against Texas. The color combo for THE Towell, which will also be made available for purchase, according to Bjork, will be scarlet and gray.

Color Outs

Ohio State announced it has coordinated three games to promote a color out. Fans can visit the www.GoBuckeyes.com to help prepare for the games against Texas, Ohio University on September 13, and Penn State on November 1.

• Scarlet the ’Shoe – August 30 vs. Texas https://gobuckeyes.com/pages/scarlet-out
• Helmet Stripe – September 13 vs. Ohio https://gobuckeyes.com/pages/helmet-stripe
• Wear Black – November 1 vs. Penn State https://gobuckeyes.com/pages/wear-black

Defend the ‘Shoe

Each time a visiting team’s offense commits a false start penalty or calls a timeout, allegedly due to crowd noise, a visual representation will appear on videoboard displays, with the Ohio State crowd being awarded a Buckeye Leaf, along with a season-long calculation with how many leaves the home crowd has earned.

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Ohio State says that The Best Damn Band in the Land will return to the north end of Ohio Stadium, where it sat prior to the 2001 stadium renovation. The band will now sit on a concrete foundation, instead of the metal bleachers in the south stands, and their music will be amplified with temporary on-field speakers and microphone placements.

Additionally, Hang On Sloopy, traditionally played between the third and fourth quarters, can be played, “when the energy and timing feel right”.

“We know fans care deeply about this moment, and so does Ohio State athletics. This adjustment is about keeping it powerful, memorable, and perfectly timed,” the university said in its announcement.

Soundtrack

The Athletic Department is curating a soundtrack, which will include Columbus’ own band Caamp, whose song, “Ohio” will play during the first half of each game.

Other modifications

The university said each game will feature a unique and “iconic” entrance for Brutus Buckeye, the Block O section will be moved to the south stands, the videoboard will present live and updated stats, scores and replays during the game and that there will be fewer game-day presentations on the field.

The athletic department also announced in June that the south end zone will have a premium seating option beginning in 2026. 

2025 Ohio State football schedule

• Aug. 30: Texas, noon
• Sept. 6: Grambling State, 3:30 p.m.
• Sept. 13: Ohio (Peacock), 7 p.m.
• Sept. 27: at Washington
• Oct. 4: Minnesota (homecoming)
• Oct. 11: at Illinois
• Oct. 18: at Wisconsin
• Nov. 1: Penn State
• Nov. 8: at Purdue
• Nov. 15: UCLA
• Nov. 22: Rutgers
• Nov. 29: at Michigan, noon