Ohio State Buckeyes Football

The Ohio State Buckeyes gained their strange nickname from one of the state’s most common trees, the buckeye, which produces rich brown chestnuts with a light patch that gives them an appearance similar to that of an eye. Residents of Ohio came to be known as “buckeyes” by outsiders in the early 1800s, which was meant initially as an insult but was eventually taken on board as a symbol of state pride. The Buckeyes football team, one of the most successful and popular American college football teams, have dominated the powerful Big Ten Conference for nearly a century, amassing 16 national titles (8 claimed, 8 unclaimed) along with an astounding 41 conference titles and 26 Bowl game triumphs (for a 26-29 Bowl game record). Leading into 2024 season, the team has the best all-time win percentage (.734, tied with arch-rivals, the Michigan Wolverines) and are third in total all-time wins (964, just 1 behind the Alabama Crimson Tide) among all college football teams in America. Buckeyes games draw huge crowds of students, alumni, and other fans to their massive home, Ohio Stadium (third largest stadium in the country, fifth largest in the world), who fill its towering stands with the school colors of scarlet and gold. Before kickoff and at halftime, these loyal legions holler out the school fight songs “Across the Field” and the “Buckeye Battle Cry” as the marching band creates seemingly impossible patterns and phrases on the field. Win or lose, the team always gathers at the south end after the final whistle, joining band, coaches, cheerleaders, and fans to link arms and sway as they all join together in a rendition of the university’s alma mater song “Carmen Ohio.” When the team wins a game, the Victory Bell tolls ebulliently from the southeast tower and Buckeyes players are awarded with buckeye leaf stickers to affix to their helmets for particularly impressive plays or displays. 

Ohio State Buckeyes Rivalries

As one of the most successful and popular college football teams in the nation over the past century, the Ohio State Buckeyes are also part of some of the sport’s most heated rivalries. Without any doubt, their fiercest rivals are always the Michigan Wolverines, who have historically often battled the Buckeyes for conference championships and the right to appear in Bowl games. The 1970s were known as the Ten Year War between the teams, in which the Buckeyes and Wolverines faced each other in the final game of each season with something on the line, leading to some incredibly dramatic games. The rivalry is now renewed once every two seasons, with Buckeyes alumni players returning to Ohio Stadium to form a “tunnel” for the current players to sprint through onto the field at the beginning of the game. In addition, any player on a Buckeyes team who defeats the Wolverines is awarded with the dubious honor of a pair of gold pants. The Buckeyes’ other two big rivals are the Illinois Fighting Illini and Penn State Nittany Lions.

Finding Ohio State Buckeyes Football Tickets

Despite the colossal size of their home stadium, the Ohio State Buckeyes are nevertheless a big enough draw to sell out many of their home games. This makes for a fantastic atmosphere but also means that finding a ticket can be rather difficult, especially for Bowl games, crucial conference title deciders, or games against rival schools (see above). TicketX is the best place to find the most affordable Ohio State Buckeyes tickets out there. Our listings cover all available tickets and our handy TicketX stadium seating chart is the best way to compare available seats in terms of price and location.