What It Means to Be a Buckeye

For more than 110 years, Ohio State University has cultivated a rich football tradition that is second to none. Millions of fans have looked forward to each autumn Saturday on the "banks of the Olentangy," where the giant horseshoe otherwise known as Ohio Stadium houses the state of Ohio's true and indispensable pastime. Thousands of young men have been a part of Buckeye football -- an experience that transformed them from wide-eyed freshmen to mature men of pride and accomplishment. In the late 1880s OSU began the undertaking of building a football program; its leaders started organizing financial backers and looking for a coach for this relatively new athletic activity. On May 3, 1890, Buckeye football was born. With a coach named Alexander S. Lilley, who wore a cap with the famed "Block O" emblazoned in the middle (as would a certain coach named Woody more than 60 years later), the first ever Ohio State football game ended with a 20-14 victory over Ohio Wesleyan.