In the most recent Graduation Success Rate report, the Buckeyes posted single-year and four-year rolling scores of 94 and 93, respectively. Those numbers remained the same for the third year in a row and are the highest in school history.

The NCAA established the GSR in 2002 as a means of understanding student-athletes’ academic completion rates more concretely. It does so by accounting for two groups that play an increasingly prominent role in collegiate athletics: mid-year, first-time enrollees and transfers. This year’s numbers include the 2015-16 to 2018-19 freshman cohorts.

“The consistency of Ohio State student-athletes stands out as they maintained a one-year GSR mark of 94 and a four-year mark of 93,” Faculty Athletics Representative John E. Davidson said. “These high scores reflect a culture of care that values academic achievement as a prime component of the world-class student-athlete experience.”

Twenty-three Ohio State teams had a GSR of 90 or better, including 15 with a perfect 100.

Artistic swimming, women’s cross country/track and field, men’s fencing, women’s fencing, field hockey, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, pistol, rifle, women’s soccer, softball men’s tennis, women’s tennis and wrestling all had a 100 in the GSR.

Eight programs recorded GSR scores of 90 or better: baseball, men’s ice hockey, women’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s swimming and diving, men’s volleyball and women’s volleyball.

In all, 25 teams maintained or improved their score from the previous year, including 12 teams that maintained a perfect score or improved upon the prior year.

“That two-thirds of the 25 teams maintaining or improving on last year’s score attained a perfect 100 speaks to the commitment of coaches, the support of the Student Athlete Support Services Office staff, and, most of all, the incredible dedication of student-athletes to succeed to the utmost of their abilities in all their endeavors,” Davidson said.

The football program maintained the program-best score of 89 it recorded last year, the fourth year it improved or maintained its GSR. 

Ohio State and Learfield Impact, the company’s NIL services, are fueled by on-campus leadership professionals who prioritize Buckeye student-athlete brand engagement and content-driven campaigns. Additionally, BSG will have access to Learfield’s Compass NIL technology to facilitate deal transactions and gain insights into student-athlete interests that foster authentic brand connections.

“Ohio State has always been a leader in college athletics, and this initiative is another step forward to build upon our strong NIL foundation,” said Carey Hoyt, Ohio State’s deputy director of athletics. “By combining the power of our athletic brand with Learfield’s expansive network, we are creating an innovative, full-service approach to NIL that directly benefits our student-athletes.”

The House v. NCAA settlement marks a pivotal shift in college athletics. As part of the agreement, signed and approved Friday and taking effect July 1, schools will now be permitted to directly compensate athletes for use of their name, image and likeness. A key component of the settlement is the implementation of a Fair Market Evaluation process, and a “range of compensation” designed to establish standardized benchmarks for NIL deals across sports and institutions. Buckeye Sports Group will serve as a centralized hub for NIL brand deal facilitation, corporate partnerships, student-athlete storytelling and NIL support.

A comprehensive NIL strategy

The Buckeye Sports Group will support Ohio State’s student-athletes with comprehensive efforts within three key areas: deal facilitation and management, content creation and storytelling, and support services.

NIL deal facilitation & management

1. Negotiating and securing brand partnerships locally, regionally and nationally for student-athletes.
2. Overseeing contract preparation and fair market value assessments.
3. Utilizing analytics to track NIL performance and return on investment.

Content creation & student-athlete storytelling, powered by Learfield Studios

• Creating athlete-driven digital content, including social media campaigns, video series and podcasts.
• Leveraging Learfield’s Fanbase data and digital expertise to optimize distribution across social media and digital channels.
• Providing marketing resources for brand collaborations to maximize results, including the use of Ohio State marks and logos and access to campus facilities.

Athlete support & services

• Providing financial literacy and tax support through partnerships with industry experts.
• Offering branding and social media growth training to help athletes build their personal brands.
• Connecting student-athletes with brand partners to provide business experience and micro-internships and build professional networking relationships with companies.

A unified approach to NIL

In a move to streamline and optimize NIL operations, Buckeye Sports Group will also work to consolidate existing NIL collectives under a single marketing team. This unified structure will provide student-athletes with seamless access to opportunities while competing for the Buckeyes. The founding members of THE Foundation and The 1870 Society will remain engaged and serve in an advisory capacity to the new Buckeye Sports Group. Additionally, re-occurring donations and subscriptions made to The Foundation will continue to play a vital role in supporting Ohio State Athletics.

“We’re incredibly thankful for everything our NIL collective’s leadership, businesses and donors have done to support our student-athletes,” said Ross Bjork, senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director. “Their commitment has helped shape the landscape in powerful ways. As we move forward with a more unified approach, we’re excited to combine efforts and further strengthen the NIL success of our student-athletes.”

Impact & vision

Through this partnership, Ohio State Athletics and Learfield are setting a new standard for NIL excellence. The initiative aims to:

• Maximize student-athlete earning potential.
• Strengthen Ohio State’s brand value through strategic partnerships.
• Create a sustainable, best-in-class NIL ecosystem that benefits athletes, brands and the university.

“As we enter a new era for college athletics, we’re excited to build on our past successes and create even more meaningful NIL opportunities for Ohio State student-athletes,” said Todd Knisley, vice president & general manager of Learfield’s Ohio State Sports Properties. “Buckeyes have excelled both on and off the field, and we’re committed to amplifying that momentum. We also recognize the unique potential of our footprint in Columbus, one of the fastest-growing metro markets, for impactful deal-making. With the strength of Buckeye Nation behind us, we’re able to unlock incremental opportunities for partnerships on a local, regional and national scale.”

BSG will fuel Ohio State’s NIL deal-making success and build upon the momentum of over 500 NIL brand partnerships featuring Buckeye student-athletes across all 36 sports. Buckeye student-athletes have already collaborated with prominent brand partners such as Beats by Dre, Chipotle, Right Rug, Weber Grills, Element Electronics and more.

“We are committed to making Ohio State the premier destination for NIL success,” Hoyt said. “With Buckeye Sports Group, we’re building a model that will serve as the new standard for college athletics.”

Ohio State has added a game against Navy, scheduled for Sept. 1, 2029. The contest will be that season’s opening game. In order to add that game, Ohio State and the University of Nevada have agreed to move their previously scheduled game on that date to Sept. 7, 2030.

Ohio State also rounded out its 2029 non-conference schedule by adding a game against Youngstown State, which will be played at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 15, 2029. The Buckeyes have one game remaining in order to fill out the team’s non-conference schedules over the next five years: the season opener on Aug. 31, 2030.

Ohio State 2026 Non-Conference Schedule
Sept. 5 – Ball State
Sept. 12 – at Texas
Sept. 19 – Kent State

Ohio State 2027 Non-Conference Schedule
Sept. 4 – Bowling Green
Sept. 11 – New Hampshire
Sept. 18 – Alabama

Ohio State 2028 Non-Conference Schedule
Sept. 2 – Buffalo
Sept. 9 – at Alabama 
Sept. 16 – Northern Illinois

Ohio State 2029 Non-Conference Schedule
Sept. 1 – Navy
Sept. 8 – Charlotte
Sept. 15 – Youngstown State

Ohio State 2030 Non-Conference Schedule
Aug. 31 – TBD
Sept. 7 – Nevada
Sept. 14 – at Georgia

2025 Single Game Tickets Available Soon

On-sale dates to purchase 2025 Ohio State single game football tickets and to select games for the Pick 3 mini-plan option are set and are approaching soon. The dates for the mini-plan sale and single game tickets for students, alumni association members and the general public are as follows: 

• June 6 / 4 p.m.: Deadline for students to request ticket packages;
• June 16 / 10 a.m.: Pick 3 mini-plan; Fans can build their own mini-plan by selecting one of these two games (either Grambling or Rutgers) and adding any two games from this trio of games: Ohio University, Minnesota and UCLA;
• June 24 / 10 a.m.: OSU Alumni Association members single game presale; and
• June 27 / 10 a.m.: General public single game sales.

Prices for the Pick 3 mini-plan will start as low as $190. Depending on availability, fans will be able to choose the best available seating from multiple price zones in Ohio Stadium to build their package.

Where available, single game ticket prices will start as low as $64 and will vary across price zones and opponents. More information on mini-plan and single game ticket options can be found by visiting https://go.osu.edu/fbtix.

2025 Ohio State Football Schedule

Aug. 30 – Texas – 12 Noon / FOX

Sept. 6 – Grambling – 3:30 p.m. / BTN

Sept. 13 – Ohio University – 7 p.m. / Peacock

Sept. 20 – Off

Sept. 27 – at Washington

Oct. 4 – Minnesota (Homecoming)

Oct. 11 – at Illinois

Oct. 18 – at Wisconsin

Oct. 25 – Off

Nov. 1 – Penn State

Nov. 8 – at Purdue 

Nov. 15 – UCLA

Nov. 22 – Rutgers

Nov. 29 – at Michigan – 12 Noon / FOX

The women’s team recognized seniors at the Feb. 26 game in which the team bested the Michigan State Spartans, 89-78.

Players Taylor Thierry and Madison Greene were honored before the game, while managers Shelby Granger and CJ Williams as well as videographer Enrique Cabotage were honored at halftime.

The women’s team plays their first game in the Big Ten tournament on Friday in Indianapolis.

The men’s team recognized veterans at the March 4 game in which they prevailed over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 116-114.

The men’s team honored players Ques Glover and Kalen Etzler as well as managers Nick Moore and Eric Oberholtzer, equipment manager Kyle Peters, student trainer Taylor Finnerty and Cabotage, the team’s social media manager, prior to the game.

The men’s team takes on the Indiana Hoosiers Saturday at Bloomington. They play their first game in the Big Ten tournament on March 12.

No. 6 Ohio State (14-2) scored 31 unanswered points to pull away from No. 5 Notre Dame (14-2) to earn the program’s ninth national title Monday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

After the Irish scored on the first drive of the game, the Buckeyes scored the next 31 points on their way to the 34-23 win, the seventh consecutive victory for the Buckeyes over the Fighting Irish.

Prior to the title this year, Ohio State won the 2014 title, in the inaugural College Football Playoff national championship.

Will Howard quarterbacked the Buckeyes to the win behind 17-of-21 passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns.

Running back Quinshon Judkins scored twice on the ground and once through the air. He finished with 11 carries for 100 yards to go with two receptions for 21 yards.

Jeremiah Smith had five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. Emeka Egbuka added six grabs for 64 yards. Cody Simon led the defense with eight tackles, with Sonny Styles adding six stops.

Fans are invited to celebrate the historic achievement at Ohio Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 26, at noon. The event will be free along with parking. More information to follow here: https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/feature/2024-fb-national-champions.

The Ohio State University football team is scheduled to play seven home games next fall, highlighted by a season-opening game v. Texas along with Ohio Stadium visits from Grambling, Ohio, Minnesota, Penn State, UCLA and Rutgers.

The 2025 season marks the second in a new, expanded 18-team Big Ten. Of the four west coast teams, Ohio State plays two of them – at Washington (Sept. 27) and home v. UCLA (Nov. 15). The trip to Seattle will be Ohio State’s first since 2007.

Schedules are arranged so that each Big Ten team will continue to play nine intraconference games per season, and teams will play every other conference opponent at least twice, and not more than three times, in a five-year period.

In addition to Texas, which is making its second trek to Columbus (2005), the nonconference portion of the schedule features a first-ever meeting against prominent FBS program Grambling State University and the first meeting since 2010 with Ohio University, the 2024 Mid American Conference champion.

Ohio State’s game at Illinois will mark its first trip to Champaign in 10 years, since a 28-3 win on Nov. 14, 2015. The Buckeyes have visited their other three conference road sites for next year – at Purdue, Wisconsin and Michigan – as recently as the 2024 season.

There will be two off weeks: Sept. 20 (after the Game 3 home game v. Ohio) and Oct. 25, following Ohio State’s road game at Wisconsin on Oct. 18.

The 18 conference teams will be vying to compete in the 2025 Big Ten championship game Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium, with the winner claiming the league’s automatic entry into the College Football Playoffs.

2025 Season Ticket Information

Ohio State season ticket holders for the 2024 season were sent renewal information in November and can renew their seats anytime until March 1. Those interested in becoming season ticket holders or learning more about other ticket packages for the 2025 season should visit https://go.osu.edu/fbtix.

2025 Ohio State Football Schedule
Aug. 30 – Texas
Sept. 6 – Grambling
Sept. 13 – Ohio
Sept. 20 – Off
Sept. 27 – at Washington
Oct. 4 – Minnesota
Oct. 11 – at Illinois
Oct. 18 – at Wisconsin
Oct. 25 – Off
Nov. 1 – Penn State
Nov. 8 – at Purdue
Nov. 15 – UCLA
Nov. 22 – Rutgers
Nov. 29 – at Michigan

In an open letter to Buckeye Nation, Ross Bjork, senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director, outlined some of the changes and a direction for the future.

A U.S. District Court recently issued preliminary approval to a settlement agreement in the lawsuits collectively referred to as House vs. NCAA. Ohio State supports the settlement and is hopeful the court will issue final approval in April 2025. At that time, Ohio State and its Big Ten and NCAA Division I peers will institute a number of significant changes, including paying athletes in men’s and women’s sports for their name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. 

Beginning in 2025-2026, in accordance with the settlement and changes in NCAA rules and regulations, Ohio State will compensate student-athletes for their NIL rights, also referred to as “revenue sharing,” leading to direct NIL payments that are anticipated to exceed $20 million annually. 

“The intercollegiate athletics landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation,” Bjork said. “And through this change, it is our goal to continue the tradition of supporting 36 teams, prioritizing academics, winning and maximizing the student-athlete experience on and off the playing fields.”  

The Department of Athletics will continue to be financially stable while generating its own resources. Thanks to the support of Buckeye Nation – alumni, fans, donors, corporate partners and others – the department fields the country’s largest public university athletics program without funding from tax or tuition dollars.  

“Private support from alumni, fans, corporate partners, foundations and individual donors has long been essential to the success of Ohio State Athletics as a self-sustaining department building toward and maintaining a standard of excellence,” Bjork said. “We are grateful and thankful to our donors for their support through the years and for their continued commitment to Buckeye sports.”  

In addition to funding student-athlete scholarships, donor giving supports the “Circle of Care,” a holistic approach to student-athlete well-being. The Circle of Care brings together a dedicated network of professionals and resources to address the diverse needs of all Ohio State’s varsity student-athletes, including in the critical areas of academic support, sports psychology and mental health care, career preparation for life after sports, nutrition and sports performance. 

“Philanthropy will remain crucial to providing the resources necessary to strengthening and advancing our Circle of Care for all our student-athletes, ensuring that we preserve and enhance the proud legacy of Ohio State athletics,” Bjork said. 

Direct institutional NIL payments are just one of several structural changes within the department.

The NCAA will now implement roster limits nationally rather than scholarship limits for each sport. As a result, the number of Ohio State varsity student-athletes will decrease by approximately 150, but the total number of Ohio State athletic scholarships available will increase by 91 scholarships. This new investment will allow Ohio State’s programs to continue to compete for and win championships.

Currently, most Ohio State student-athletes do not receive a full scholarship and 30% receive no athletic aid. As the department transitions from scholarship limits to roster limits, the number of student-athletes provided full or partial scholarships is expected to increase for most sports. All varsity sports will continue to offer scholarship opportunities.

In addition, and unrelated to the House settlement, the athletics department has determined that the co-ed rifle and pistol teams will become women-only sports by 2029. 

The department is actively reviewing a range of initiatives to support increased costs, including FY25 budget cuts, expanding the Buckeye Club and Champions Fund philanthropic arm of the department, a revised football season ticket plan for 2025, increasing corporate sponsorships, new NIL agreements with student-athletes, naming opportunities across athletics facilities, and new strategic initiatives around licensing and branding. 

“The opportunity, in Ohio Stadium, to dot the ‘i’ is a very special honor,” says Griffin. “I know that Woody was proud to have had that opportunity, and I am following in his footsteps and am extremely proud of this opportunity.” 

The recognition, considered the greatest the band can extend to a nonmember, is being presented by the “i-dotters” — the senior sousaphone members of the Ohio State Marching Band. The students visited Griffin at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center early in July to surprise him with the invitation. 

“As a sousaphone player, dotting the ‘i’ is the highest honor one can achieve. It’s a dream many of us have for years, one that we work hard for each day as a member of this band. It takes unrelenting dedication to finally be able to live that dream,” says Nick Pisanelli, senior sousaphone player, who is dotting the “i” during the Ohio State vs. Nebraska game this year.  “Archie Griffin embodies that same spirit, and on the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy, we felt it was an easy decision to ask him to share this honor with us. He’s living proof that hard work, determination and passion can take you anywhere, and we are so excited for him to join us as we all live out our dream.”  

As a player at Ohio State, Griffin rushed for a school-record 5,589 yards on 924 carries and scored 26 rushing touchdowns. His 31 consecutive 100-yard games are still an NCAA record. In addition to two Heisman Trophies, Griffin also has a pair of Silver Footballs, which are presented annually by the Chicago Tribune to the Big Ten’s MVP.  

“When you see someone outside of the band dotting the ‘i,’ you know that it is extraordinary. That is how I look at it,” says Griffin. “It is a big-time tradition for our band, university, fans and everyone who knows Ohio State. To give someone who is not part of the band the opportunity, it must be something special.”

“We are super excited and honored to have him be a part of this tradition,” says Christopher Hoch, director of Marching and Athletic Bands. “While I didn’t have the opportunity to watch Archie play at Ohio State, I remember my dad talking about him as a legend and how great of a person he was. We are looking forward to Aug. 31 and being able to watch Archie have his well-deserved moment with the band.” 

After a seven-year NFL football career, Griffin returned to Ohio State and served as the president and CEO of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, as an assistant athletic director, and as Ohio State’s senior adviser for advancement before retiring.  

“To see the band perform, it gives you goosebumps. You wonder what the next big show they’re going to do, because they always do something that is special and that no others are doing,” says Griffin. “It makes you, as an Ohio State alumnus, very proud. Our band is The Best Damn Band in the Land.” 

The invitation to be an honorary i-dotter has only been extended to a select few individuals over the history of Script Ohio. Previous honorary i-dotters have included comedian Bob Hope (1978), Hayes (1983), golfer Jack Nicklaus (2006), Sen. John and Annie Glenn (2009), and Marching Band director emeritus Jon R. Woods (2011). The most recent was former football coach Earle Bruce, who dotted the “i” in 2016.

The Ohio State vs. Akron game begins at 3:30 on Saturday, Aug. 31. The Marching Band will perform a Script Ohio during pregame with band member Brody Hyre dotting the i. Griffin will dot the “i” in a halftime Script Ohio following the band’s halftime show. Griffin will also be recognized at Skull Session, the band’s free pregame pep rally at St. John Arena, which will begin at 1:10 p.m.

“Jake Diebler possesses all of the characteristics we were seeking as we conducted a very comprehensive and thorough search for a new head coach,” Bjork said. “Those include coaching ability, passion, energy, program knowledge, character, integrity and ties to Ohio. As an Ohio native, the son of a longtime Ohio high school coach and with deep connections to Ohio State, Jake knows what it takes to lead this program on a championship course. 

“I’d like to thank Dan Cloran, our executive associate athletic director who oversees the men’s basketball program, for his efforts and expertise throughout our search.” 

Diebler, the first Ohioan to be named Ohio State’s head coach in 35 years, is in his eighth season at Ohio State. He was named the interim head coach on Feb. 14 and led the Buckeyes to a 6-2 record over the last month of the season. The first of those six wins came in his first game as the interim coach and in stunning fashion, over No. 2 Purdue on Feb. 19. Ohio State lost at Minnesota in its next game, but then won five consecutive games: at Michigan State, vs. Nebraska, vs. Michigan, at Rutgers and over Iowa in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. 

The team played a terrific quarterfinal game against Big Ten tourney finalist Illinois only to lose, 77-74, on Friday. The Buckeyes are 21-13 overall.   

“Throughout the search, every time we analyzed what was best for the program, our decision kept leading right back to Jake,” Bjork said. “The way he has led the program since Feb. 14 has been exemplary and is only the beginning of what lies ahead for Buckeye basketball. The future is exciting, and I cannot wait to watch him lead this program.” 

“Our Buckeyes have rallied and shown true grit on the court with Coach Diebler, who has exhibited impressive leadership with the team,” said President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. “In addition to his multiple wins since being named interim head coach, he’s been an inspiration to the players. I’ve gotten to know Jake and I’m confident he will continue to lead the team admirably.”  

Diebler first worked with Ohio State basketball in 2014, spending three seasons as a video coordinator on Thad Matta’s staff. After three seasons as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt, he returned to Ohio State as an assistant coach under Chris Holtmann prior to the 2019-20 season. He was then promoted to associate head coach before the 2021-22 season.  

“It’s a blessing and a privilege to serve this program and I’m excited for this opportunity,” Diebler said. “I’d like to thank Ross Bjork and President Carter for believing in me and the vision that I have moving forward. Ohio State basketball is special and means so much to me and my family. I look forward to serving the entire Ohio State basketball family as best as I possibly can.” 

Diebler’s stellar high school career included three seasons at Fostoria High School and one at Upper Sandusky High School, and he is still the OHSAA career leader in assists and steals. He then played four seasons at Valparaiso from 2006-09 for head coach Homer Drew. Known as one of the hardest workers in the program, Diebler set a Valparaiso Division I record by starting every one of the Crusaders’ 98 games over his final three seasons. He also had a string of 278 consecutive minutes played over seven games in the final half of his senior season. 

After graduating with his marketing degree in 2009, he spent three more seasons at Valparaiso, one as a graduate assistant and two as an assistant coach under Bryce Drew. He then joined Drew at Vanderbilt from 2016-19 as assistant coach.  

While at Ohio State in the role of video coordinator, he helped mentor Aaron Craft, the 2014 National Defensive Player of the Year, and D’Angelo Russell, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and 2015 first-team All-American. 

Coaching runs deep in the Diebler family. His father Keith coached high school basketball in Ohio for almost 40 years, while his older brother Jeremiah coached high school basketball as well. His younger brother, Jon, is currently the director of recruiting at Butler University. 

Jake and his wife, the former Jordyn Ellwood, from Columbus and an Ohio State graduate, have two young daughters, Jaymes and Jessa, and a young son, Jackson. The couple are expecting a fourth child this July.

The season features Big Ten matchups against Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Purdue plus a showdown against arch-rival Michigan to close out the season.

Trustees also approved a plan to allow the Department of Athletics to finalize football ticket price ranges for two future seasons – 2025 and 2026 – and approved an increase in membership dues for the Ohio State Golf Course.

Season ticket prices for the 2024 football season will increase from 2023 in part because of an eight-game home schedule versus a six-game home schedule this year. Season ticket prices for the general public will start at $596 for seats in Zone 6 and increase to $1,365 in Zone 1.

Single-game prices in Zone 6 will be less than $92 for seven of the eight home games, with prices starting as low as $46. Prices for the premier game on the schedule – Nov. 30 versus Michigan – will start at $192.

Student ticket prices for the 2024 season will increase by $2 for non-conference games and $4 for conference games. This is the first student ticket price increase since the 2013 season, and this price per game change will remain for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Price ranges approved

The athletic department also requested the ability to assign individual game ticket pricing for the 2025 and 2026 football seasons based on price ranges, opponent and seating zone. The individual game ticket price will be assigned within the ranges as follows.

• Individual game tickets for non-conference opponents these two years will be priced as low as $50 and up to a maximum of $150 per ticket.
• Individual game tickets for conference opponents will be priced as low as $80 and up to a maximum of $210 per ticket.
• Individual game tickets for premium opponents will be priced as low as $125 and up to a maximum of $500 per ticket.

Season ticket discounts off the aggregate individual game prices for public, faculty, staff and students will remain. Actual game prices for the 2025 season will be determined in the fall of 2024. Ticket prices for the 2026 season will be determined in the fall of 2025.

Football ticket pricing strategies have received positive feedback from fans and have helped match pricing to the market. The Ohio State Athletic Council and university administrators recommended ticket pricing plans.

Ohio State Golf Course membership dues

The department requested to increase the alumni, faculty/staff, affiliate and student membership dues by 3%. The increase will be allocated to the capital reserve account for deferred maintenance and future projects.

Approximately 3,600 students will receive degrees or certificates at the ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Schottenstein Center.

“Gene Smith has led one of the nation’s premier athletic departments for nearly two decades and has been a dedicated and innovative supporter, leader and mentor to thousands of students and student-athletes over his career,” said Peter J. Mohler, PhD, acting president and executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge. “Beyond Ohio State, Gene has been a pioneer in shaping the future of collegiate athletics at the national level to support the student-athlete.  He is an inspirational leader whose message will resonate with our graduates, their families and friends, and our Buckeye community.”

In August, Smith announced he would retire in July 2024. He has spent the past 18 years at Ohio State leading one of the largest and most successful athletic programs in the country, and he has worked 38 years as an athletics director. 

“Commencement is an exciting day for our graduates and their loved ones. I am humbled and honored to serve as commencement speaker. I look forward to sharing a message to inspire these new Buckeye graduates as they embark on the next step of their lives,” Smith said. “I have become close to many of the students who will receive their degrees at this ceremony, and I hope to share some more wisdom and advice as they conclude their academic career.”

Smith leads with a philosophy of developing the “total student-athlete,” supporting academic achievement with athletic success. In 2022-23 alone, Ohio State reported 765 scholar-athletes, 190 Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholars and six Academic All-Americans. 

During Smith’s tenure, Ohio State has dominated Big Ten Conference play, with 115 team and 369 individual conference championships. Nationally, Ohio State teams have won 32 team and 117 individual national championships during Smith’s tenure.  

In addition to on-field accolades, Smith is renowned for preparing students for life after competition. He founded the Eugene D. Smith Leadership Institute (EDSLI) at Ohio State to provide leadership, character and career development for all Ohio State student-athletes to prepare them for life after graduation. 

EDLSI programs include Bucks Go Pro internships, job shadows/micro-internships, the Wolstein Leadership Academy, Buckeye road trips and more.  As a measure of the institute’s impact, in 2022-23 a record 95% of the department’s graduating seniors had job offers, were accepted into graduate school or were pursuing professional sports.

Smith grew up in Cleveland and attended the University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship. He played four years as a defensive end for the Irish and was a member of their 1973 Associated Press national championship team.

Smith received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Notre Dame in 1977.

This will be the first season of Big Ten Conference competition in the new, expanded 18-team league with Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington joining as full-time members next year. Schedules are arranged so that each of the 18 Big Ten Conference teams will continue to play nine intraconference games per season, and teams will play every other conference opponent at least twice, and not more than three times, in five years.

On Oct. 5 the Big Ten released five years’ worth of home and away opponents for all the teams, but not dates. Announcements for actual dates for future year team schedules are still to be determined.

Ohio State’s 2024 season will feature eight home games at Ohio Stadium, including the 120th all-time matchup against Michigan, and four more Big Ten games: vs. Iowa, Nebraska, Purdue and Indiana. Additional home games will be against Southern Mississippi, Western Michigan and Marshall.

Big Ten away games for Ohio State in 2024 will be the Big Ten opener at Michigan State Sept. 28, and games against Oregon, Penn State and Northwestern.

The 2024 season will conclude with the annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, which will feature the top two teams in the overall conference standings at the end of the regular season, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship. Tiebreaking procedures will be announced later.  

2024 Football Schedule

Aug. 31 – Southern Mississippi

Sept. 7 – Western Michigan

Sept. 14 – Off

Sept. 21 – Marshall

Sept. 28 – at Michigan State

Oct. 5 – Iowa

Oct. 12 – at Oregon

Oct. 19 – Off

Oct. 26 – Nebraska

Nov. 2 – at Penn State

Nov. 9 – Purdue

Nov. 16 – at Northwestern

Nov. 23 – Indiana

Nov. 30 – Michigan

Home games in bold

2024 Tickets Available This Month

Ohio State season ticket holders for the 2023 season will be able to start renewing season tickets for the 2024 season later in November. Those interested in becoming season ticket holders or learning more about other ticket packages for the 2024 season should visit https://go.osu.edu/fbtix.

The Ohio State University Office of Marketing and Communications will livestream Skull Session before the game against Youngstown State on Saturday morning and before each home game for the rest of the season. The livestream can be found on the Ohio State News YouTube channel through the website or on the YouTube app.

“We’re excited to be back and to provide fans everywhere with a live broadcast of Skull Session. Each year we work to improve the quality and the experience for our viewers,” said Director of National Broadcast Media Joe Camoriano. “We’re ready for year three. If you tune in a couple of hours before each home game, you’ll get to see one of the best fan experiences in the country.”

Camoriano and a team of videographers will stream Skull Session using seven different cameras and multiple microphones to capture the action from all angles.

Skull Session originally served as a final music rehearsal for the Ohio State Marching Band prior to its performance on the field. It has evolved into one of the most anticipated game day traditions for Buckeye fans. Doors to St. John Arena open four hours prior to kickoff and the arena can quickly fill up.

“The livestream of Skull Session is an exciting opportunity to enjoy this game day tradition for our fans around the world,” said band Director Christopher Hoch. “If you cannot be with us at St. John Arena on game day, we’re happy to be able to bring you some of that Ohio State spirit wherever you are.”

TBDBITL marches into the arena and plays “Fanfare for a New Era” as the football team arrives. Coach Ryan Day, assistant coaches and players often speak each week to the fans before they head to the stadium. The band then performs a final musical run-through of its pregame and halftime shows before game time.

The 2024 Ohio State season will feature eight home games at Ohio Stadium, including the 120th all-time matchup against Michigan, and four more Big Ten home games: vs. Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern and Rutgers. Additional home games will be against Southern Mississippi, Western Michigan and Marshall.

Big Ten away games for Ohio State in 2024 will be at Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State and UCLA. The dates for the 2024 games will be announced later this fall.

Divisions Eliminated

The 2024 season will feature the elimination of divisions in the Big Ten Conference with all 16 teams, including the additions of UCLA and USC, playing a nine-game conference season highlighted by a model that has every team playing every other conference opponent at least twice – once home and once away – in a four-year period. The Big Ten has used a two-division format since the 2011 season, the year Nebraska joined the league.

The Big Ten Conference championship game, beginning in 2024, will match the top two teams in the overall conference standings at Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, with the winner the Big Ten champion. Tiebreaking procedures will be announced at a later date.

“When you run the gauntlet of the regular conference season and you end up being No. 1 and No. 2 in the standings, you’ve earned that right,” Gene Smith, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletic Director, said on the Big Ten Network about the teams in the Big Ten title game.

“I’m excited having no divisions. I think divisions served us well in our history and our transition to this space, but now this opportunity to play a semi-round robin is actually a lot better.” 

The 2024 season will also be the first year of the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff format that will reward the four highest-seeded conference champions with first-round byes, while the teams ranked Nos. 5-thru-8 will host first-round CFP games against the teams ranked Nos. 12-thru-9, respectively. 

Ohio State season ticket holders for the 2023 season will be able to start renewing season tickets for the 2024 season this fall. Those interested in becoming season ticket holders or learning more about other ticket packages for the 2023 season should visit https://go.osu.edu/fbtix.

USC and Texas at Ohio Stadium in 2025

The 2025 seven-game Ohio State home season will kick off with a national game of the week-caliber game against Texas in Ohio Stadium Aug. 30, and it will also feature the first visit to Ohio Stadium by the USC Trojans in 16 years, or since the 2009 season.

In addition to Texas and USC, Ohio State’s 2025 home schedule will include Big Ten games against Indiana, Maryland and Nebraska, and a non-conference game against UConn with one non-conference opponent still to be announced.

Away games for Ohio State in 2025 will be at Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin.

New Flex Protect Plus Scheduling Model

The 2024 Big Ten football season will debut the Big Ten’s new Flex Protect Plus scheduling model, which features a combination of protected opponents and rotating opponents for universities. Each member institution will continue to play nine intraconference games per season, and teams will play every other conference opponent at least twice – once home and once away – in a four-year period.

Conference schedules will include 11 protected matchups that will continue to be played annually, including the Ohio State vs. Michigan game.

2023 Ohio State Football Schedule

Sept. 2 – at Indiana (3:30 p.m.; CBS)

Sept. 9 – Youngstown State (12 noon; BTN)

Sept. 16 – Western Kentucky (4 p.m.; FOX)

Sept. 23 – at Notre Dame (7:30 p.m.; NBC & Peacock)

Sept. 30 – Off

Oct. 7 – Maryland/Homecoming (12 noon/3:30 p.m./4 p.m.; TBD)

*Oct. 14 – at Purdue

*Oct. 21 – Penn State

*Oct. 28 – at Wisconsin

*Nov. 4 – at Rutgers

Nov. 11 – Michigan State (7:30 p.m; NBC)

*Nov. 18 – Minnesota

Nov. 25 – at Michigan (12 Noon; FOX)

Dec. 2 – Big Ten Championship Game (8 p.m.; FOX)

*Game times announced during the in-season 12-/6-day selection process

2024 Ohio State Schedule Snapshot

Aug. 31 – Southern Mississippi

Sept. 7 – Western Michigan

Sept. 14 – Off

Sept. 21 – Marshall

Big Ten Home Games

Illinois

Iowa

Michigan

Northwestern

Rutgers

Big Ten Away Games

Michigan State

Minnesota

Penn State

UCLA

2024 schedule dates announced in the Fall of 2023

2025 Ohio State Schedule Snapshot

Aug. 30 – Texas

Oct. 18 – UConn

One non-conference game still to be added

Big Ten Home Games

Indiana

Maryland

Nebraska

USC

Big Ten Away Games

Illinois

Michigan

Northwestern

Purdue

Wisconsin

Good sportsmanship, respect for others, patience and acting responsibly should be the mindset for all fans all week as Ohio State supports and encourages its fans to cheer on the Buckeyes.

There will be plenty of activity in and around Ohio Stadium on Saturday. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in a location adjacent to Ohio Stadium and the RPAC, and ESPN’s College GameDay will once again be broadcasting from the south lawn area at St. John Arena.

Kickoff for the 118th meeting between Ohio State and Michigan will be at noon.

Visit the game day website

Fans are encouraged to visit https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/gameday/ for all game day information needs. The revamped site includes information on mobile tickets and mobile parking passes, traffic and parking, maps, tailgating and an A-Z guide.

Download the official Ohio State Buckeyes app

The most convenient way to access season tickets and parking passes is through the Ohio State Buckeyes app, compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play, or search “Ohio State Buckeyes” in your device’s app store, to update or download the app. Fans are encouraged to enable push notifications to get instant updates about their favorite Buckeye teams, ticket offers, game day information including parking and traffic, exclusive contests and more.

The official Ohio State Buckeyes app features mobile ticket management, concessions ordering, venue mapping and free live audio of the game along with numerous other options. For more information, visit the Athletics website.

Game Day Alerts text service

Fans are encouraged to sign up for Game Day Alerts, a free texting service that will alert fans to real-time traffic and parking updates, weather information and emergency notifications. Text OSUFB22 to 67283 to opt in.

West campus shuttle

Fans parking and riding from west campus will board shuttles at Carmack 1 – the far eastern parking lot. Shuttles will provide service between the Carmack 1 parking lot and Coffey Road Park, which is within walking distance of Ohio Stadium, from six hours before kickoff until one hour after the game.

Game tickets

All game tickets are issued digitally to fans’ smartphones/mobile devices. Download the official Ohio State Buckeyes app to access tickets, and visit Ohio State’s Digital Ticketing Guide for complete information on how to access and manage digital tickets.

Parking

Game day parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis on football Saturdays. All football parking lots and garages open at 5 a.m. All parking is cashless and passes will be on fans’ mobile devices. Individuals with season parking permits will access their passes via their Ohio State Buckeyes Account alongside their game tickets. Fans will scan the QR code on their mobile device upon entry to the parking lot.

Credit cards only will be accepted at all public parking locations. The prices to park this year are $25 and $30.

Cashless operations

Cashless operations are utilized throughout Ohio Stadium, including for program sales, concessions, ticket office transactions and merchandise. The cashless concessions system has been upgraded for faster service and check-out time. Fans can skip the line and order food on the Ohio State Buckeyes app.

Ticket pedestals

All gates into Ohio Stadium have ticket pedestals that fans will use for access into the game by scanning their ticket from their own mobile device.

Metal detectors

All Ohio Stadium entry gates will be equipped with walk-through metal detectors that guests will need to pass through for entry. Fans will not need to empty their pockets unless instructed by stadium security. The goal is for a frictionless entry into Ohio Stadium.

No-bag policy

Ohio State has continued its no-bag policies at Ohio Stadium and all athletic department venues. Small bags, no larger than 5-by-8-by-1 inches, will be permitted. Guests with medical or child care needs will be permitted to carry one bag, no larger than 14-by-14-by-4 inches, into the stadium through one of these two locations: the Band Center entrance between Gates 10 and 12, or the Press Entrance between the Huntington Club and Gate 23.

The Student-Alumni Council revived the traditional prep rally last year, attracting more than 900 students to Browning Amphitheater to jump-start rivalry week. Working with fellow student organizations Ohio Staters, Inc. and Block O, they hope to grow the Rivalry Rally into a bigger event this year. The Rivalry Rally takes place at 7 p.m. Nov. 21 in the Archie Griffin Ballroom. 

Student-Alumni Council program coordinators Anna Bokovoy, a third-year human development and family science major, and Sophia Lorenzetti, a fourth-year health sciences major, organized the rally this year.  

“As a kid, we would get together with other alumni for the [Michigan] game, and I thought about how cool it would be to bring that spirit to the students,” Lorenzetti said. 

Bokovoy, on the other hand, was raised in a Michigan household and has experienced what the rivalry means from the other side of the border.  

“It’s been fun to pave my own path at Ohio State, and learn about all the traditions from both sides of the rivalry,” she said. 

Both Lorenzetti and Bokovoy love the rich traditions of Ohio State and wanted to create an event to connect more students to what it means to be a Buckeye. 

“After COVID, and losing last year, it’s important to bring back the excitement surrounding THE game,” Bokovoy said.  

The Rivalry Rally will feature a visit from members of the football team. There will be performances from the university club dance team, the marching band, the varsity cheer team, Brutus and some special guests who have personal experience with That Team Up North.  

The first 500 students to arrive at the event will receive a free Ohio State beanie, along with other giveaways and raffle items from different student organizations. 

The event is a chance for students to “get together and get hype,” Lorenzetti said. Beyond that, the rally is an opportunity to celebrate being a Buckeye and count down the days until the biggest game of the season.  

Organized intercollegiate athletics competition for women within the Ohio State Department of Athletics began in 1965-66, thanks to the leadership and championing of Bailey, who had arrived on campus in 1956 to pursue a PhD and work with women’s sports club teams as associate director of Recreation, Intramurals and Intercollegiate Sports for Women.

At the time, Ohio State had a handful of women’s sports club teams. Bailey helped transition these club teams to intercollegiate teams, and when that happened Bailey, the basketball club team coach, became the varsity women’s basketball team’s first head coach. She led the Buckeyes to a 28-10 record from 1965-70.

By the time Bailey was named an assistant athletics director in 1975 and shortly thereafter, Ohio State’s Department of Athletics featured 12 women’s sports: basketball, gymnastics, field hockey, volleyball, softball, tennis, cross country, swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and indoor and outdoor track & field.

Bailey’s efforts in advancing female student-athlete participation did not just impact Ohio State student-athletes, but women nationwide. Bailey helped oversee the 1971 establishment of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, which organized and recognized female intercollegiate competition for the first time. The passing of Title IX in 1972 and the acceptance of women in the NCAA in 1981 resulted in a restructure of the Ohio State Athletics Department with Bailey appointed the first administrator over women’s athletics.

In 1992, Bailey was a driving force in transitioning the Alumnae Society for Women Athletes to the Varsity O Women. This organization drafted and implemented guidelines that would elect the first class of female athletes into the Ohio State Sports Hall of Fame. Bailey was a member of that first class of women Hall of Fame honorees at Ohio State.

In all, Bailey spent 39 years at Ohio State as a coach, teacher, mentor, role model and pioneer, before retiring in 1994.

A celebration of Bailey’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43221, with a reception immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Phyllis J. Bailey Endowment Fund, Fund Number: 600265, online or by mail to The Ohio State University, 14 E. 15th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201. The fund supports women’s athletics at The Ohio State University.

The Ohio State Homecoming Parade is one of the university’s longest-running traditions. This year, the theme of the parade will recognize 100 years of Ohio Stadium. The celebration will also include pre- and post-parade festivities.

“I think the biggest thing for us is that we’re really excited,” said Casey Petrae, president, Ohio Union Activities Board. “Last year we introduced some of these new traditions, the festival and the fireworks, but that was kind of a test run.”

Pre-parade festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. in the northwest stadium parking lot. There will be free food, inflatables and carnival games.

The parade starts at 6 p.m. beginning at Ohio Stadium and ending at the Ohio Union. Family members of Howard Dwight Smith, the architect of Ohio Stadium, will serve as grand marshals of the parade.

Petrae said the parade will feature floats from student organizations, university offices and colleges.

“We’re projecting a much higher attendance when it comes to the parade. We’re seeing a lot more student organizations and floats being built this year than we have in the past,” he said. “I think it’s because students are really excited to get back to tradition.”

Buckeye fans are encouraged to stick around after the parade. In partnership with the Ohio Union Activities Board, Office of Student Life and CAS, a fireworks display will launch at 9 pm. The main viewing location will be in the northwest stadium parking lot.

Traffic and Parking

Fans attending the festivities or parade are encouraged to park in Ohio Union Garages (along High Street, south of 15th), Arps Garage (along High Street, north of 17th), Tuttle Garage (near the Architecture Building), South Campus Gateway Garage (along 11th Avenue, east of High Street) or Lane Avenue Garage (corner of Tuttle and Lane Avenue).

Please note CABS Service will also be impacted during the time of the parade. For more details, visit the Transportation and Traffic Management website.

Parade route

Dennis announced the news of her retirement to her coaching staff and team Monday morning, just days after 22 Buckeye student-athletes competed at the NCAA championships and just three weeks after her men’s and women’s teams each captured Big Ten Conference outdoor championships.

“I hope this isn’t too much of a surprise,” Dennis said. “I have coached for a long time and there are still things in life I’d like to do. I am truly thankful for this profession, and I want to express my gratitude to the many assistant coaches and support staff that have shared and sweated alongside me on this incredible journey. They share a primary role in the success of our programs.

“I also want to thank the hundreds of student-athletes who have shared their lives and careers as Buckeyes, and also their parents.

“I want to thank the great coaches here at Ohio State, and in the Big Ten Conference and nationally, who have served as examples of excellence and who have challenged and motivated me to be better.

“And, I want to thank my family for the sacrifices they made while I pursued coaching, and specifically my daughter Ebony, who shared with me and introduced me to hundreds of kids through her work.”

Dennis just completed her eighth season as director of both the men’s and women’s programs at Ohio State. She arrived in Columbus in 2002 as an assistant coach for the women’s team and in 2006 she was named women’s head coach. In 2014 she was promoted to director of the men’s and women’s track & field and cross country programs.

“I want to thank Gene Smith, who believed in me and hired me into the dual men’s and women’s position at a time when very few women in all of track and field had a dual role,” Dennis said. “And, I want to thank my longtime sport AD at Ohio State, T.J. Shelton, who was very instrumental in the success of this program.”

Dennis’ coaching and leadership positioned Ohio State as one of the top programs in the Big Ten Conference and nationally. Her Buckeyes captured 12 Big Ten Conference championships, including women’s indoor (2011, 2015, 2019, 2020) and outdoor (2011, 2012, 2019, 2021, 2022) crowns as well as men’s indoor and outdoor championships in 2018, their first in 25 years, and an outdoor crown in 2022.

Her 12 Big Ten championships are No. 1 all-time for an Ohio State female coach and rank in a tie for third with Mike Peppe (men’s swimming) among all Ohio State coaches. Only Jim Brown (17 men’s golf titles) and Ty Tucker (16 men’s tennis crowns) have led Ohio State teams to more Big Ten championships than Dennis. Therese Hession, recently retired women’s golf coach, rounds out the Top 5 with 11 Big Ten crowns.

This final season under Dennis’ direction has cemented her legacy. This is the first time Ohio State has won both a men’s and women’s outdoor Big Ten team championship in the same season, and this is the first time in 25 years for a Big Ten team to accomplish the feat. Her women’s team set a new championship record for points scored at the Big Ten outdoor championships with 185.5, and on Saturday wrapped up a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

Her last Big Ten titles came just months after the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where five current or former Dennis athletes competed, including shot putter Adelaide Aquilla, who defended her outdoor NCAA shot put title last Thursday to give Dennis her eighth NCAA champion. Dennis coached a total of eight Olympians.

“I can’t thank Karen Dennis enough for her friendship, her mentorship and the love she has for her student-athletes and Ohio State athletics,” Gene Smith, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletics Director, said. “I want to congratulate her on a truly legendary career in coaching. We have been incredibly fortunate to have her leading our programs.”

Dennis has been honored as the Big Ten’s track and field coach of the year 12 times, including eight honors in the last five years. Her honors are capped by earning the 2022 women’s and men’s outdoor coach of the year honors last month, and thus becoming the first coach in conference history to be named coach of the year on both the men’s and women’s side at the same outdoor championships.

The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named Dennis its regional coach of the year six times.

140 Individual/Relay Big Ten Champions

Dennis’ student-athletes have won 118 Big Ten Conference individual titles plus an additional 22 relay crowns for a total of 140 Big Ten champions as head coach at Ohio State and Michigan State.

Dennis’ coaching leadership on the national and international track and field circuit is highlighted by an appointment as the head coach of the U.S. women’s track and field team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Prior to her Olympic coaching duties with Team USA, Dennis was an assistant coach of U.S. national teams at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenberg, Sweden; the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba; and the 1989 World University Championships in Duisburg, Germany.

Dennis is a member of the USA Track & Field International Competition Committee and a past president of the Athletic Congress Women’s Track Coaches Association. She has also served as a member of the NCAA Women’s Track and Field Committee and the NCAA Track Coaches Association.

Dennis has been enshrined in three Halls of Fame: she was named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame in 2018, to the Michigan State Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and to the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.

Dennis is a 1977 graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in public affairs management, and she received her master’s degree in sports administration in 1979. She helped the Spartans’ track and field team to a fourth-place finish at the AIAW national championships in 1975.

The 45-year coaching career for Dennis includes 37 years as a head coach: 16 years at Ohio State, 10 years at UNLV and 11 seasons at Michigan State. She guided 39 indoor/outdoor teams to the NCAA championships. 

For more information about Coach Dennis’ career and accomplishments, go to the Ohio State Buckeyes website.

President Kristina M. Johnson presided over the ceremony and her remarks encouraged graduates to seize the opportunities afforded to them and when the time came, to pass opportunity on to others.

“The Ohio State University represents the constant expansion of opportunities, and all of our graduates today have benefited from that. But as we celebrate your accomplishments, I want to invoke the words of the legendary Buckeye football coach Woody Hayes: I urge you to “pay forward” by creating opportunities for others,” she said. “As Woody liked to say, you can never fully ‘pay back,’ and give everyone in the previous generations who supported you the full measure of your gratitude, because they won’t always be around. But you can honor their goodness by paying forward.”

Intel CEO Patrick P. Gelsinger delivered the commencement address. He spoke to graduates about the challenges he faced as a young man. He left his family farm in pursuit of a two-year technical degree and started working for Intel as an 18-year-old.

“Graduation is a time to celebrate, reflect on the sacrifices and accomplishments of the past and the possibilities of the future,” Gelsinger said. 

Gelsinger spent the first 30 years of his career at Intel, becoming the company’s first chief technology officer. Then, he said, he was “pushed out.” He spent 11 years leading other businesses before he was asked to return to Intel and rejoin the company as CEO.

He spoke about the role technology would continue to play in the lives of graduates. He said they were part of a generation that could find tomorrow’s “magic.”

“Today, every aspect of human existence is becoming digital. And technology in itself, is neither good nor bad. It’s largely neutral. It’s our jobs to shape technology as a force for good. Because when it is good, it’s magic,” he said.

As Intel CEO, Gelsinger announced plans to invest more than $20 billion in the construction of two new leading-edge chip factories in Ohio — the largest single private section investment in state history — and an additional $100 million toward partnerships with educational institutions such as Ohio State to develop talent and bolster research programs in the so-called “Silicon Heartland.”

“This project will create thousands of jobs for you, the graduates of The Ohio State University,” he said.

Gelsinger called on the graduates to find and learn from good mentors, set ambitious goals and have passion for what they do.

“We can improve the lives of every human on the planet through technology. We have the opportunity ahead to build out the world we want to live in. We cannot stand still. We must move forward faster to the future. It is up to us,” he said.

Johnson also called for a moment of silence from the assembled crowd to honor the memories of the university community who passed away this academic year, including two students last week.

“Our hearts go out to their families and friends at this moment of shock and grief. These, of course, come on the heels of two years of grief and loss caused by the pandemic. Although these loved ones and friends cannot be physically with us, their impact will always be present,” she said.

In addition to Gelsinger’s address, Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Sen. Robert J. Portman; and statistician Dr. Grace Wahba also spoke to graduates and were awarded honorary degrees. Ohio State awarded the Distinguished Service Award to Caroline C. Whitacre and Robert L. Wright Jr. during the ceremony. 

12,439 graduates were granted degrees Sunday. Of those graduates, 296 received doctorate degrees, 1,945 master's degrees, 969 graduate professional degrees and about 9,229 bachelor’s and associate degrees and certificates.

Ohio State’s commencement is a global affair. International students hail from nearly 93 countries and six continents are represented in this graduating class with students from Australia, Chile, Honduras, Malaysia, Somalia and the United Kingdom just to name a few.

The Ohio State University Department of Athletics hosted a celebration to honor players and coaches from 10 programs who won either conference or national championships so far this year. Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletic Director Gene Smith presided over the ceremony at the Covelli Center Tuesday afternoon.

There was a lot to cheer for. The women’s hockey team won its second WCHA title in the last three years and its first national championship in March. Synchronized swimming, pistol and dance also celebrated team national championships this year.

Big Ten champions included the women’s basketball team, men’s gymnastics, women’s swimming and diving, and both men’s and women’s tennis. The men’s and women’s fencing teams won Central Collegiate Fencing Conference team titles this year as well.

More than 30 athletes from nine sports were honored for individual national or Big Ten championship performances.

One theme that the student-athletes returned to when they spoke about their championship experience was the importance of a positive and winning culture. Katie Trace, a Big Ten champion in the 800 free relay, is part of a team that has won three consecutive Big Ten conference championships in women’s swimming and diving.

“It’s definitely the culture that we built on the team. I think that it’s a lot easier to win when you have fun doing it,” she said. “Everybody wants to be a Buckeye because we’re excellent at what we do.”

For Liz Schepers, it was faith in teammates and coaching that helped the women’s hockey team hold off Minnesota Duluth for a 3-2 victory in the Frozen Four national championship.

“Once we took the lead, the last couple of minutes, we knew exactly what we had to do to get the job done and seal the deal,” she said. “We have so much confidence in each other and trust in our game plan.”

Ohio State’s historic rivalry with the University of Michigan was never far from the minds of the athletes. Men’s gymnastics won the Big Ten regular season championship with a win over No. 4 Nebraska this year.

“Other than winning [the championship] on senior day, the thing that stood out to me the most was beating Michigan [during the regular season], and that’s the first time in the last five years,” said gymnast Dexter Roettker.

Ohio State is in third place in the Learfield Directors’ Cup. The cup recognizes excellence across athletics programs. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in NCAA Championships.

The iconic stadium on the banks of the Olentangy River has been the site of 100 years of games, commencement ceremonies, concerts and, for all Buckeye fans, memories.

“Ohio Stadium holds a special place in the hearts of all Buckeyes and it is a place of historic significance,” said President Kristina M. Johnson. “Families have celebrated a loved one’s academic achievement here, champions have been crowned here and it has helped so many of us fall in love with what it means to be a part of the Ohio State community. We are so excited to enjoy 100 years in the ’Shoe with thousands of our closest friends and we look forward to the celebration ahead this season.”

Ohio Stadium is one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of sports. Since the opening game against Ohio Wesleyan on Oct. 7, 1922, more than 36 million fans have streamed through the stadium’s gates.

Affectionately known as the ’Shoe, Ohio Stadium is the place where Buckeyes have formed relationships, built communities and enjoyed memorable experiences – from applauding “Script Ohio,” to cheering historic victories against That Team Up North, to presidents and poets uplifting new graduates. This year, the university will join Buckeye fans to celebrate the rich history of the stadium and the bonds built inside its concrete façade.

“I don’t know if there is a more iconic structure in college athletics than Ohio Stadium,” said Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletic Director Gene Smith. “Ohio Stadium has been home to so many wonderful memories, thrilling moments and important events over the past 100 years, and the university, the Department of Athletics and Buckeye Nation are all incredibly proud of our venerable and grand structure.”  

A few of the marquee events and opportunities planned for the celebration this year include:

• A commemoration at the homecoming game against Rutgers on Oct. 1.
• Starting Aug. 20, University Archives will sponsor “A Walk in Our ’Shoe: 100 Years of Ohio Stadium” at Thompson Library. The free exhibit will focus on the history of the stadium with historic uniforms and memorabilia from Buckeye coaching legends.
• Buckeye fans can share their memories and photos as the university collects and circulates those stories throughout the year.
• Limited edition licensed merchandise celebrating 100 years of Ohio Stadium will be available starting at the Spring Game. It will also be available at The Team Shop or online at gobuckeyes.com.

With a seating capacity of 102,780, Ohio Stadium is one of the largest stadiums in the world and the fourth largest on-campus facility in the nation. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The original 66,000-seat venue was designed by Ohio State alumnus and architect Howard Dwight Smith and cost $1.3 million to build. Skeptics of the construction plan were quieted when an overflow crowd of 71,138 showed up for the dedication game against Michigan on Oct. 21, 1922.

“We can do wonders cultivating our caring and compassionate communities. Together, we can share joy, share kindness and share what it means to be a Buckeye,” said President Kristina M. Johnson in a campus-wide email. “Today is the day to bring out the best in each other.”

Over the past several years, Buckeye Love has evolved from an affinity campaign highlighting love and appreciation for Ohio State and its community to include a more intentional focus on kindness and compassion. This year’s programming is centered around creating one intentional and impactful day for all of Buckeye Nation, when every member of the community can experience kindness.

Student groups are playing a special role in this year’s events. Ohio Staters is one of many groups helping to distribute 30,000 kindness cards across Ohio State’s campuses that direct the recipient to write small, thoughtful notes (included in the card) to two people, spreading the joy further.

“Maybe it is for the person at Starbucks who gives you your drink every day or the person who sits next to you in class or your TA [teaching assistant]. We want you to spread that love around campus to other people,” said Ava Miller, president of Ohio Staters. The group, whose motto is “50 serving 50,000,” names its primary goal as improving the welfare of the campus community.

“National Random Acts of Kindness Day goes right along with that,” Miller said. “The initiative is to impact every single student and person who comes to campus that day, which is a big, meaningful goal. We wanted to help support it in any way we could.”

Another student group, the Boo Radley Society, is also participating in this year’s Buckeye Love events. The group, named after the famous character from To Kill a Mockingbird, performs random acts of kindness throughout the year. Buckeye Love was a natural fit, said Emily Stern, director of outreach for the organization.

“We’re starting the chain of doing something nice,” Stern said, “and we want everyone else to continue it. It’s so easy to put a smile on someone’s face.”

“Although we’re in a stressful time, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice being kind and letting people know you care about them. So, we thought, ‘What can we do to make this better?’ because that is what we need to focus on,” she said.

The Wexner Medical Center team is working hard to ensure its staff and visitors feel this kindness, too. Cookies and candy will be distributed throughout the day, as will messages of encouragement for patients and staff alike. As a special treat, tickets to upcoming Ohio State men’s basketball games will be part of a staff drawing.

“Our focus is on helping our staff feel appreciated and to encourage them to be kind to themselves,” said Mary Connolly, senior marketing consultant at the Wexner Medical Center, who helped develop the hospital’s programming for the day.

Students, faculty and staff will be sharing their surprise acts of kindness on social media throughout the day using the #BuckeyeLove hashtag, along with simple reminders to #BeKind.

Ohio State football ranks second all-time in wins and will play its 133rd season in 2022 in 100-year-old Ohio Stadium, which is nestled nicely along the banks of the Olentangy River as well as on the National Register of Historic Places.

So, you don’t mess too much with change on something of such historical significance. You tweak.

And that’s what the Ohio State Department of Athletics has done with the look of the new field that will be installed in June and July in Ohio Stadium. The same field and design will also replace the outdated indoor surface at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center with work set for April, May and June.

Fan-Inspired Concepts

The department engaged Buckeye Nation in October 2021 to send in fan-inspired design concepts for the field. More than 1,300 designs were submitted, and elements most favored by fans included the Block O at midfield (59%), incorporating Buckeye leaves (48%) and scarlet end zones (46%, compared to 21% suggesting gray end zones).

All three of those elements, plus others favored by fans, are included in the new design that was ultimately determined by an internal panel. Details of the design include:  

• The Block O at midfield has been emphasized with the outer strokes color adjusted to gray.
• Buckeye leaf decals replace the two X’s at the respective 35-yard line kickoff locations.
• Official OHIO STATE and BUCKEYES athletics word marks, consistent with those on other venue playing surfaces and on team uniforms and apparel, are in the two scarlet end zones.
• The outer boundaries of play have been color adjusted to gray to complement the scarlet end zones.
• Yard line numbering matches the block type font on the players’ uniforms. 
• The iconic black/white/scarlet striping pattern, found most prominently on Buckeye helmets, will have a home in each end zone along the end lines, matching the width of the goal posts.

Fans will see the new turf first on Sept. 3, when Ohio State hosts the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

2022 Ticket Information

For those interested in becoming a new season ticket holder, or for more information on 2022 season football tickets, please visit https://go.osu.edu/fbtix.  

2022 Ohio State Schedule

Sept. 3 – Notre Dame

Sept. 10 – Arkansas State

Sept. 17 – Toledo

Sept. 24 – Wisconsin

Oct. 1 – Rutgers

Oct. 8 – at Michigan State

Oct. 15 – Off

Oct. 22 – Iowa

Oct. 29 – at Penn State

Nov. 5 – at Northwestern

Nov. 12 – Indiana

Nov. 19 – at Maryland

Nov. 26 – Michigan

Dec. 3 – Big Ten Championship Game

President Kristina M. Johnson joined Utah representatives, university leaders, students and alumni from both schools at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

“It was an honor to join with our friends from Utah and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to help those in need,” Johnson said. “Ohio State’s annual bowl game service project is just one of many ways Buckeyes come together every day in service to Ohio, the nation and the world.”

The Buckeyes and the Utes assembled food packages to be distributed to more than 2,600 low-income senior citizens, women with infants and children in Los Angeles.

This is the 23rd year that Ohio State’s Office of Student Life has organized a service project in conjunction with its football bowl game in order to make a positive difference in the host city.

More than two dozen Buckeyes were honored before the kickoff against Michigan State. Because the COVID-19 pandemic preempted last year’s pregame ceremony, this class includes players who joined the Buckeyes as early as 2016.

These student-athletes are the first senior class in Big Ten Conference history to win four consecutive outright Big Ten championships. Over the last five years, these seniors have combined for a 54-6 overall record and are 37-2 against Big Ten teams. They boast an undefeated record versus That Team Up North.

“One of the things, week in and week out, that I like to bring up is just that things go really, really fast and you can’t take anything for granted,” head coach Ryan Day said earlier this week. “Don’t wait until the last game to enjoy it, don’t wait for the last game to cry before you get on the field, and enjoy it and smell the roses because it goes really fast.”

The senior players honored include:

• Sevyn Banks
• Ryan Batsch
• Chris Booker
• Cameron Brown
• Robert Cope
• Aaron Cox
• Haskell Garrett
• Antwuan Jackson
• Jack Jamieson
• Cade Kacherski
• Austin Kutscher
• Jagger LaRoe 
• Demario McCall
• Thayer Munford
• Chris Olave 
• Nicholas Petit-Frere
• Corey Rau
• Bradley Robinson
• Mitch Rossi
• Jeremy Ruckert
• Tyreke Smith
• Master Teague
• Sam Wiglusz
• Marcus Williamson 

The senior managers Cati Ide, Brandon Merritts, Jake Waddell, Brody Whetsel and Isaac Wilson were also recognized.

Other notable accomplishments from this senior class are a Cotton Bowl victory over the University of Southern California, a Rose Bowl victory over Washington, two College Football Playoff appearances, a Sugar Bowl win over Clemson last year and a College Football Championship game appearance.

The final game of the regular season is Nov. 27 in Ann Arbor.

In 2016, the band performed its “Buckeyes on Broadway” show that included music from “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” “The Lion King” and “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” This year’s show dipped into the musical catalog of some historical Broadway shows.

TBDBITL performed songs from “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Hair” and “Phantom of the Opera,” among others. Formations included the band spelling out Broadway, the Phantom’s mask and the curtain being raised on a theater stage.

Biomedical science graduate Austin Hare dotted the “i.”

Current season ticket holders have received direct correspondence from the Ohio State ticketing department regarding their season ticket renewal invoices. Renewing season ticket holders interested in taking advantage of extended payment plans offered may log into their accounts now to enroll in one of several flexible payment options. Those interested in becoming a new season ticket holder can find more information at https://go.osu.edu/fbtix.  

A new per-seat contribution (PSC) model for 2022 replaces the current annual giving model that supports $29 million in student-athlete grant-in-aid costs. In February when this new model was announced, the lowest-priced season ticket was $710. That price has since been significantly reduced, and fans will now be able to purchase season tickets for as low as $559, a price reduction of more than $150 per season ticket. Single game ticket prices in Zones 5 and 6 will also be reduced.

“We are looking for more opportunities for our fans to experience Ohio State games, and lowering ticket prices is a way to accomplish that,” Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Director of Athletics Gene Smith said. “We’re grateful for our fans who came back to Ohio Stadium this year to support the Buckeyes. We have an outstanding home schedule next year and we want to help as many fans as possible experience Ohio Stadium and the energy and traditions associated with Ohio State football.”

Under the new contribution and pricing model, Ohio Stadium is divided into six pricing zones, each with a different ticket price and PSC (based on location). The PSC will range from $0 to $1,500. Student season tickets will not require an annual contribution and will remain priced, for the 10th consecutive year, at $34 per game. Among the benefits of the new model:

• A majority of seats – just over 52% – will have an annual per-seat contribution of $250 or less.
• Nearly one-third of current season ticket holders will pay less for their same seats.
• More than 14,000 season ticket locations will be available without an annual PSC beyond the cost of the tickets themselves.

Premium seating areas (club seats, loges and suites) will not be subject to a PSC. Additionally, there are season ticket holders who historically have not been required to pay an annual Buckeye Club contribution to qualify for tickets. These exceptions will no longer exist. Faculty and staff selecting seats in zones for which a per-seat contribution is required will continue to receive a 20% discount on the season ticket price as well as on the per-seat contribution.

For more information on 2022 Ohio State football season tickets, visit https://go.osu.edu/fbtix.  

The halftime show in the game against Purdue was a celebration of the 35th anniversary of “Top Gun.” The 1986 Tom Cruise action film highlighting the competition between elite navy aviators was a box office hit that included a famous soundtrack.

The band played the “Top Gun Anthem,” “Mighty Wings” and “Danger Zone” during the performance. Formations includes a fighter jet, and spelling out “Top Gun” and “Maverick,” the nickname of Cruise’s character.

Fashion and retail studies graduate Katie Galuska dotted the “i.”

“Last year was really difficult for Block O and Ohio State University in general in terms of normality,” said Lucas Bruckmann, a third-year finance and economics major and football director for Block O’s executive board.

Bruckmann said many first- and second-year students have either never attended an Ohio State game or never experienced it as a student.

“I think it poses a really amazing opportunity for Block O, for Ohio State football culture and athletics in general, because everybody has this pent-up energy and excitement,” he said.

Few organizations are better equipped to channel that energy than Block O. The university’s largest student organization has been leading the cheering in the student section for more than 80 years.

With elaborate card stunts and students covered in scarlet and gray body paint, the Block O football supporters can be found bringing excitement to the north and south stands at Ohio Stadium. The organization supports student sections for 10 sports at Ohio State.

For Block O membership committee member Jaci Taylor, a fifth-year computer science and engineering major, the game day traditions are critical to the overall student experience at Ohio State.

“I think they’re really important, especially when you’re first coming into [Ohio State]. College can be very stressful and very intimidating,” she said. “Building those traditions, meeting people and getting to do those things that are constant every year, even if other things are changing … it’s just so important to have those things that you can hold on to and that stay the same.”

Bruckmann said the interest and involvement for Block O remains high. A Welcome Week sign-up event in a driving rainstorm still ended with dozens of students joining, and Block O football tickets sell out quickly.

Beyond the desire to share game day traditions with their peers, both Taylor and Bruckmann said the student sections are critical for sports beyond football and basketball. Block O students are often the loudest supporters at wrestling, hockey or volleyball events. Taylor said the student support can change the dynamics of a game.

“We’re super excited for this upcoming year. I know last year was really tough, but we look forward to seeing everybody in the ’Shoe and with our other sports sections throughout the year, because as much as we have missed it, our athletes have missed it as well,” Bruckmann said. “This is THE Ohio State University, this is big-time athletics. We want to make sure that the kids that come here to play in the scarlet and gray are given the support they deserve.”

For Adelaide Aquilla, one of 26 Ohio State Buckeyes to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics, being a part of one of those moments wasn’t something she dreamed about – until very recently.

“I would watch [Olympic] basketball games when they would come on, but I never really watched the track growing up,” she said. “I never really was super into it until my sophomore year of high school. That’s when I really started getting into the sport and growing to love it.”

Aquilla, a fourth-year communications and hospitality management major, won 2021 NCAA indoor and outdoor track and field championships in in the shot put, but did not expect to be competing for a medal in Tokyo this year.

“At the beginning of the year, I wrote down that I wanted to be in the top five at the Olympic trials because I already knew I had the standard,” she said. “But then throughout the course of this year, I started picking up the pieces technically, so I adjusted my goal and said, ‘I want to make team.’”

A year of continuous improvement led to a third-place finish at the U.S. track and field Olympic trials.

Aquilla is one of five members of the Ohio State men’s and women’s track and field program, including three current members of the team, who will take part in the Tokyo Olympics. The summer games officially begin tomorrow, July 23, with the opening ceremony taking place at 8 p.m. local time in Japan, which is 7 a.m. in Columbus.

Anavia Battle, a fourth-year human development and family sciences major, said she is excited to join her Buckeye teammates in the Olympic stadium next week. Qualifying for the games wasn’t the biggest surprise during trials: That was reserved for finishing the 200 meters in 21.95 seconds, a personal best.

“I think that actually shocked me more than making the team, which is crazy, but finally breaking a 22 is good,” she said.

Battle, like Aquilla, is a late bloomer to her sport. She said she really started taking running seriously as a freshman in high school.

“I was just doing it to be a part of something, but once I realized the gift that I had and how good I am at this sport, I started to take it seriously. Because I like winning,” Battle said.

Battle’s Buckeye teammate, Eric Harrison, has dual citizenship and will trade his scarlet and gray in for the red, black and white of Trinidad and Tobago. A fourth-year communications major, Harrison said he wants to make sure that his first trip to Tokyo is not a lost experience as he prepares for the 4x100 relay.

“I definitely want to enjoy myself, to enjoy the experience, and I don’t want to overlook things,” he said. “I think that’s something that athletes can do a lot. They can get caught up into their head space to the point where they completely missed the experience. One thing that I’m definitely focused on is to make sure I enjoy myself. I train every day so that there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll be able to perform.”

Harrison, Battle and Aquilla are joined by Maggie Barrie, a 2018 graduate who runs in the 400 meters for Sierra Leone, and Christina Clemons, a 2021 graduate who will compete in the 100 hurdles for the USA. The Buckeye connection brings a sense of pride and camaraderie that unites these athletes regardless of flag.

“I love my teammates,” Battle said. “It’s amazing to see all of the Buckeyes on this Olympic team.”

Ohio State’s track and field contingent is part of a record-high representation of Ohio State student-athletes at the Olympics: 26 current, former or incoming student-athletes are set to compete for their respective countries. Supporters can learn more and follow their progress at Buckeyes in Tokyo.

Fields is the 12th football player to win Ohio State’s Male Athlete of the Year and the third in the last three years (Dwayne Haskins won the award in 2018-19 and Chase Young in 2019-20). Aquilla is the seventh women’s track and field athlete to be named Ohio State’s Female Athlete of the Year. Her teammate, Sade Olatoye, was the last one in 2018-19.

Aquilla has been the dominant shot put thrower in the Big Ten Conference and nationally in 2021. The junior communications and hospitality management major won her second consecutive Big Ten Conference indoor shot put championship in March. She then won the national championship at the NCAA indoor championships. The Rocky River, Ohio, native sent the shot a school-record 18.12m / 59-5 1/2 to win the 2021 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Those efforts earned Aquilla the Big Ten Conference’s indoor field athlete of the championships and its field athlete of the year honors.

She repeated outdoors. First, Aquilla won the Big Ten outdoor shot put championship, breaking the Big Ten championships record twice with her final winning throw of 19.12 / 62-8 3/4 topping her own school mark and personal best by nearly 3 feet. Two weeks ago she won the NCAA national championship, launching her final throw of the competition 18.98m / 62-3 1/4 to secure her second national championship.

And once again, Aquilla earned the Big Ten’s top honors, being named its outdoor field athlete of the championships and its field athlete of the year honors.

Aquilla is currently in Eugene, Oregon, prepping and training for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Fields, who led Ohio State to a 20-2 record and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, capped off his Buckeye career by being named the Big Ten Conference Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year in 2020.

After guiding the Buckeyes to their fourth consecutive Big Ten championship, he saved his most memorable performance for the Allstate Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinal vs. Clemson. He completed 22 of 28 passes for 385 yards and a Sugar Bowl-record six touchdown passes – all while playing through an injury suffered in the second quarter – as Ohio State topped the second-ranked Tigers 49-28 to earn a spot in the CFP National Championship Game.

Over his 22-game career, Fields threw for 5,373 yards with 63 touchdowns compared to only nine interceptions. His 70.2 completion percentage in 2020 was a school record, and he has the school record in passing efficiency (179.1) as well as the top two single season efficiency marks: 181.4 in 2019 and 175.6 in 2020.

Fields became Ohio State’s 22nd winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football in 2020, which is voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches and is awarded to the conference’s best player. He also finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. In May, Fields was selected 11th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

The Ohio State women’s team won its eighth overall team championship in program history, all under Dennis, this past weekend at the University of Illinois. The team has dominated the Big Ten with eight conference indoor or outdoor titles in the last 11 years.

The women were led by two individual victories from sprinter Anavia Battle, a 4x100 relay crown, and two Big Ten championship record-setting performances from hammer thrower Sade Olatoye and shot putter Adelaide Aquilla to win the title with 117 points. Indiana (109) and Minnesota (106) placed second and third.

The title, Ohio State’s second consecutive outdoor crown, was particularly special for Dennis.

“This championship was fraught with challenges you couldn’t see coming,” Dennis said. “All of us were certainly dealing with the pandemic, but then on top of that there were injuries and substitutions, you name it. This group of women stepped up and stepped in when needed. Their performances were amazing and I am so very proud of this special group of warriors.”

Dennis, who has won more Big Ten track and field coach of the year honors than any female coach in conference history, has now joined an elite group of coaches with at least 10 coach of the year honors, either indoor or outdoor. Dennis holds the distinction among this group of being the only such coach with coach of the year honors for both men’s and women’s teams.

Most Big Ten Coach of the Year Honors

Men’s and Women’s Track & Field

1. 22 Ed Nuttycombe, Wisconsin
2. 13 James Henry, Michigan
3. 11 Gary Winkler, Illinois
4. 10 Karen Dennis, Ohio State
5.  8 Beth Alford-Sullivan, Penn State

“It certainly is an honor to be among this group of outstanding coaches,” Dennis said. “I have always admired the work these individuals have accomplished at their respective universities.”

The NCAA East Regionals in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 26-29 are up next for Dennis and the Buckeyes.

Most Ohio State sports competing this spring won’t see a significant increase in attendance and most won’t have opportunities for general fan attendance under the policies athletics has developed and formalized with Columbus Public Health.

Based on mapping and social distancing, only men’s and women’s lacrosse at Ohio Stadium and those sports competing at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium – men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s track and field – will have an attendance increase that will allow for the admission of the general public.

There will not be any general public ticket availability for the sports of baseball, softball, field hockey and men’s and women’s tennis. There are too few tickets available for those sports after tickets are allocated to family members of the student-athletes and coaching staffs of the competing teams. Any remaining tickets will be offered to groups such as students, donors and/or season ticket holders.

Capacities were determined by seating pods distanced 6 feet apart and with thresholds of 30% capacity for outdoor venues and 25% for indoor venues. In all cases, the physical distancing of the pods does not allow for those thresholds to be reached.

Lacrosse and Men’s Soccer Tickets

Fans wishing to attend lacrosse matches at Ohio Stadium and the final home men’s soccer match at Jesse Owens this weekend – Sunday, April 4, at 1 p.m. vs. Michigan State – can walk up to each facility on game day and receive a digital ticket with an assigned seat until capacity is reached.

There will not be an admission charge for any of these regular season events. All fans will be asked to share contact information in case contact tracing is needed after the event.

Safe Attendance Policies/Additional Info

• All guests and staff will be asked to remain 6 feet apart.
• In areas where the department anticipates lines forming, there will be stickers placed 6 feet apart on the floor/pavement.
• “Control Staff” and restroom attendants will remind guests to remain diligent with hand washing and safe distancing.
• Seating areas will be numbered by row and seat. Guests will receive a reserved ticket and will sit in assigned seating pods spaced 6 feet apart.
• All guests and event staff will wear face coverings at all times while attending events at Ohio State’s athletic venues and facilities.

Spring Football Game Tickets

Attendance for the football spring game, planned for April 17 at noon, is still to be determined with Columbus Public Health. Also to be determined is the attendance at post-season conference or NCAA championship events that Ohio State may host in the Covelli Center.

The Department of Athletics is aligned with the university in making the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, administrative staff and visitors to campus the top priority. Athletics will continue to follow all federal, state, local, and conference guidance and protocols for hosting and playing sports.

“It is humbling to be recognized by your peers for a job well done,” said Dorenkott, who has been named coach of the year consecutively in 2020 and 2021. “I have been in the Big Ten for 26 years and could not be more proud to be a part of this league. Our coaches and student-athletes set the standard for academic and athletic success with honor.”

Not only was the Big Ten Conference outstanding at this year’s NCAA championships – four schools had individual NCAA champions and six schools finished among the Top 25 teams in the nation – but Ohio State had a history-making championship, finishing seventh overall with 215.5 points for the highest finish and most points scored in school history.

After winning a second consecutive Big Ten championship in late February, Ohio State sent 15 swimmers and divers to NCAAs with 10 different competitors earning a school-record 28 All-American honors.

“The credit truly goes to our student-athletes and our staff including athletic training, strength and conditioning, academic support, compliance, sports nutrition and sports psychology,” Dorenkott said. “I am grateful to be surrounded by people who are committed to being elite.”

And that commitment goes straight to the top of the department.

“It starts at the top with Gene Smith and my boss, TJ Shelton, with whom I have worked for the past 13 years,” Dorenkott said. “Show me a dynamic organization and I will show you a culture built on alignment with core values.”

Dorenkott has been named coach of the year three times in the Big Ten, including 2005 while coaching the Penn State women. He has coached five Big Ten Conference championship teams, a total that moves Dorenkott into a tie for second among women’s coaches for the most Big Ten titles.

Ohio State’s men’s team, also under the direction of Dorenkott and staff, compete at the men’s NCAA championships Wednesday through Saturday in Greensboro, N.C.

For senior guard C.J. Walker and senior forward Kyle Young, the term “survive and advance” might have a different meaning this time of year. It may be the last time in a Buckeye uniform for Walker and Young when the season comes to an end for the team.

Walker and Young were honored by the team, Holtmann and their families at Senior Day on Saturday. Both players have graduated from Ohio State. Walker is pursuing a second degree and Young is working on his master’s degree.

“If this is the end for me at Ohio State, I’m forever grateful for everybody here,” Walker said. “I’m just really grateful for each and every opportunity that I’ve had.”

Young was reflective as well. The Canton native was one of Coach Chris Holtmann’s first recruits to Ohio State and will be remembered by fans for his toughness.

“Just looking back on it, I’m happy with everything I have been through as a Buckeye. So it’s been a good experience,” he said.

When he walks off the floor for the final time in scarlet and gray, Walker hopes he will be remembered for hard work and attention to detail.

“I just want them to remember me playing hard. Putting my team first, diving on the floor, you know, all the little things,” he said. “I just want to be remembered as the ultimate leader. A great overall point guard. One that wins and gets a job done each and every night.”

As an Ohio native, playing for the Buckeyes has been special for Young.

“Just growing up, being an Ohio kid, you know what Ohio State means to everyone in the state of Ohio. My family, growing up, were Ohio State fans,” he said. “Playing college basketball at this high level in the Big Ten … has been incredible. It’s been a dream of mine. I’ve been living that dream for the past four years.”

The changes are relatively minimal regarding Ohio State’s schedule.

Comparing it with the prior version of the 2021 schedule, Ohio State’s revised 2021 schedule features the same nine Big Ten teams, the same dates for home and away games and the same locations per date (home or away). The changes are reflected in a shuffled lineup of game dates.

Ohio State still opens on the road at Minnesota on Thursday, Sept. 2, has its same off week of Oct. 16 and closes the season against Michigan in Ann Arbor on Nov. 27.

The changes involving the other seven games are reflected in the sequencing of those games in the schedule below:

2021 Schedule (former schedule)

Sept. 2 – at Minnesota

Sept. 11 – Oregon

Sept. 18 – Tulsa

Sept. 25 – Akron

Oct. 2 – at Rutgers (at Nebraska)

Oct. 9 – Maryland (Purdue)

Oct. 16 – Off (Off)

Oct. 23 – at Indiana (at Rutgers)

Oct. 30 – Penn State (Michigan State)

Nov. 6 – at Nebraska (at Indiana)

Nov. 13 – Purdue (Maryland)

Nov. 20 – Michigan State (Penn State)

Nov. 27 – at Michigan

Dec. 4 – Big Ten Championship Game

Oldenburg joined coaches and players from Buckeye teams that are finally starting up their pandemic-paused seasons on a video conference call on Wednesday. She joked she would often turn to the Magic 8-Ball and give it a good shake when one of her players would have a question that she couldn’t answer.

“The biggest message for our team is to be flexible and adaptable,” she said.

Oldenburg’s experience at Ohio State in a pandemic is unusual but not unique. The former four-year standout for the Buckeyes returned to Columbus as the head coach on Jan. 17, 2020. In March, the Big Ten canceled the team’s spring season and in August the start of the fall season was postponed. More than 370 days from the date of her hiring, Oldenburg and her team finally took to the court at the Covelli Center for a competitive match – a win over Maryland.

The unpredictability of the season is shared by students and coaches alike in sports as diverse as volleyball, cross country and wrestling. Sophomore volleyball player Jenaisya Moore shared a common sentiment about not looking too far ahead in the season.

“I think when you focus too much on the future you can get caught in a circle,” she said. “We have to live in the moment. Focus on the now.”

For men’s and women’s cross country head coach Khadevis Robinson, the new season begins like the last season ended: at the Big Ten Championship in Indiana. Ohio State hosted the 2019 men’s and women’s Big Ten cross country championships 14 months ago – the last time any of the Big Ten cross country programs competed against each other.

Robinson’s teams will have no meets to build up to a title challenge, they will be running in winter weather as opposed to a normal autumn schedule and they must deal with the ongoing COVID testing and tracing that all Big Ten teams face as they work to compete safely. Despite it all, Robinson said there’s no where he’d rather be.

“If you stay close to the fire, you will stay warm,” he said.

The opportunity to compete for championships, to join their teammates on the court or track and to play in the sports they love is important to the physical well-being of these student-athletes. But it’s also important to their mental health.

“They are elite athletes who want to be playing,” Oldenburg said. “It’s a really big deal. It’s one of the reasons we fought so hard to get back to playing.”

The teams are sharing similar experiences now, but they’ve been shown the way. Wresting head coach Tom Ryan praised his football coaching colleague Ryan Day for the leadership and determination Day demonstrated in leading a team through a COVID-challenged season. The players and coaches on the call said they were inspired and informed by the efforts of the Buckeye football team as they adhered to the Big Ten’s health and safety protocols and continued to play at a championship level.

Despite the challenges, most view the ability to finally compete again to be a privilege.

“We’re some of the lucky ones,” Robinson said. “We get to be around people who are chasing their goals and dreams.”

In addition to men’s and women’s volleyball, cross country and wrestling, some of the Ohio State teams back in action this season include:

• Fencing
• Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics
• Swimming and Diving
• Rifle
• Men’s and Women’s Golf
• Men’s and Women’s Tennis
• Men’s and Women’s Hockey

A full schedule is available at the Ohio State Athletics website.

The 7-1 Big Ten Champions persevered through a season that was canceled, revived and played in fits and starts. Three games were called off due to COVID-19 concerns, the team often played shorthanded and even head coach Ryan Day missed a win over Michigan State following a positive test.

President Kristina M. Johnson, who supported the decision to play a Big Ten season, congratulated the Buckeyes.

“A remarkable football season came to an end in the #NationalChampionship game. I am so proud of @OhioStateFB,” Johnson wrote on her social media account. “Buckeye Nation is resilient, and I know we all can’t wait for next fall!”

Despite the loss, the Buckeyes finished the regular season undefeated, won a fourth straight Big Ten Championship and defeated Clemson 49-28 in the Sugar Bowl.

Ohio State and Alabama meet in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. on ESPN.

The Buckeyes are 7-0 overall and coming off a 49-28 CFP semifinal win over Clemson Jan. 1 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Alabama is 12-0 and fresh off a 31-14 victory over Notre Dame in the CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl.

When the two storied football teams meet on the field, fans are encouraged to remember every game is a home game.

The university’s What’s your why? public health campaign supporting a safe and healthy football season continues through the national championship game. The campaign encourages Buckeyes to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19 by engaging in gameday traditions at home and not hosting or attending large gatherings.

Last month, Gov. Mike DeWine extended the statewide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Jan. 23, 2021. Ohio State is reminding students, faculty and staff that the university’s health and safety requirements apply on and off campus.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” said head coach Ryan Day. “It’s been a unique season and having the chance to be in the playoff and play against Clemson is extremely exciting. It will be a quick turnaround; a great challenge and we’re looking forward to it.”

This will be the Buckeyes’ second consecutive playoff appearance and fourth overall. It will also be a re-match of last year’s CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl, which Clemson won 29-23. The Buckeyes and Tigers have met four times previously – all in postseason games – and Clemson has won all four meetings. The Tigers own two wins over the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff, an Orange Bowl victory at the conclusion of the 2013 season a victory in the 1978 Gator Bowl.

Ohio State has a 24-26 all-time record in bowl games and has played in the Sugar Bowl four times previously. The last time the Buckeyes played in New Orleans, it was also a College Football Playoff Semifinal – on Jan. 1, 2015, they topped No. 1 Alabama, 42-35, and went on to win the first-ever CFP National Championship. Ohio State is 2-2 all-time in Sugar Bowl games.

The winner of this year’s Sugar Bowl will advance to the College Football Playoff Championship, scheduled for Monday, January 11, in South Florida.

The Buckeyes won the Big Ten title and improved to 6-0 yesterday thanks to a record-breaking performance on the ground from Trey Sermon, whose 331 yards rushing broke Eddie George’s single-game record of 314 yards set previously in 1995. Ohio State possesses the nation’s No. 6-ranked total offense (529.2 yards/game), the No. 5 rushing offense (275.6 yards/game) and No. 8 scoring offense (42.5 points/game). Ohio State is the only team in the country averaging better than 250 yards per game both rushing and passing.

“The journey that we've gone on as a program, you can't even make it up,” said Day. “But all that being said, here we are where we wanted to get to all along. Now we’ll prepare as hard as we can because that’s what it will take to play this team.”

Due to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of New Orleans has approved 3,000 fans for the game. With the restrictions on fan attendance and the Bowl’s contractual obligations, this year’s Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl is sold out.

In all, 1,601 student-athletes from across the conference were recognized from fall sports, the most since the award was established in 1990.

The total of 120 honorees is a best for Ohio State, passing the 112 recognized last fall. The sports included are field hockey, football, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.

To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be on a varsity team, have been enrolled full-time at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

The Buckeye football team had 40 honorees, followed by the men’s and women’s soccer teams with 16 each, field hockey with 15, women’s volleyball with 12, men’s cross country with 11 and women’s cross country with 10.

Sophomore Harry Miller of the football team, a pre-mechanical engineering major, and women’s cross country runner Gia Napoleon, a sophomore journalism major, were recognized for carrying 4.0 grade-point averages.

A complete list of Ohio State’s fall Academic All-Big Ten selections is available at the Department of Athletics website.

Christina Allen, of Fairfax, Virginia, and Dominique Hadad, who is from Dublin, Ohio, each will receive a $50,000 living stipend and up to $50,000 in startup funding through the President’s Prize, the highest university recognition bestowed on exceptional students committed to social change. They will tap into Ohio State’s global community of alumni, supporters and partners while working with faculty mentors and other experts to launch their projects.

“Christina and Dominique represent the best of our Buckeye family,” said Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson. “They are brilliant, hard-working young women who have chosen to selflessly dedicate themselves to improving health and environmental outcomes in our community. I am excited to see all they will accomplish.”

Allen and Hadad were selected from among a group of applicants who submitted ideas for projects with the potential to make a meaningful impact on society, and that furthered the university’s mission of addressing some of the world’s most important and pressing challenges.

Allen will create Food Leads, an initiative that makes nutrition a central part of treatment for type 2 diabetes patients through partnerships with doctors and dietitians. Hadad will launch Green Scope Consulting, a sustainability-focused consultation program for food-related businesses in the Columbus area.

Allen will earn a bachelor’s degree in international development from the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as a degree in human nutrition from the College of Education and Human Ecology. Food Leads will support Black and low-income Columbus residents by making food an integral part of doctors’ visits. The program also will provide recipes, nutrition education and check-ins to help patients stay accountable.

“Food Leads helps patients craft an eating plan that works for them and delivers food to their door,” Allen said. “From doctors to dietitians to patients, Food Leads will bring together those from all walks of life within the Columbus community to better the health of Columbus residents. During my time at Ohio State, I have learned the power of community and connection, so multiple stakeholders are involved with this project because collaboration amplifies impact.”

Hadad, who will graduate with a degree in industrial and systems engineering from the College of Engineering, said Green Scope Consulting will use predictive analytics to help prevent unnecessary waste, leverage community resources to rescue waste, and implement innovative strategies to compost necessary waste – all in an effort to cut costs for the business and propel the goals of the community.

“Food waste is a prevalent issue in the Columbus area and wasted food directly translates to wasted money, wasted time and wasted resources,” Hadad said. “With the support of Ohio State through the President’s Prize, I want Green Scope Consulting to help local business leaders in their efforts use more sustainable practices and fight climate change, which will aid their professional success and benefit our Columbus community.”

Now in its fifth year, the President’s Prize honors Ohio State’s founding purpose of offering an excellent education while elevating society through research – a reflection of the university motto, “Education for Citizenship.” Awarded annually, the prize is funded solely through donor contributions.

For more information on the prize, see https://presidentsprize.osu.edu/.

The university’s summer 2020 dean’s list names 1,054 students who have achieved top grades for their work. This includes 713 Ohio students, 120 non-resident and 221 international students.

Criteria for the dean’s list varies by college. It is usually based on the GPA for that specific term and the number of credit hours taken. Many colleges require a minimum of 12 graded credit hours with a 3.5 GPA or higher.

Ohio State is also issuing the list of students who earned degrees at commencement on Aug. 9, 2020. The university awarded 1,763 degrees at the ceremony, including 253 doctoral, 8 professional, 547 master’s, 850 bachelor’s, 73 associate degrees and 32 certificates.

Both the dean’s and graduate lists include Ohio, non-resident and international students. Students are listed by county and then by zip code, city and last name. The files are searchable using the search or find function on your device.

Students may choose not to have their names released under the provisions of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Their names have been excluded from the lists.

The lists are available below:

The season officially opens in Value City Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 25, when Ohio State hosts Akron. The action continues on Sunday, Nov. 29 against Duquesne at the Covelli Center. Ohio State will welcome Northern Kentucky on Dec. 6 and St. Mary’s (CA) on Dec. 15 to close out its non-conference slate.

The Buckeyes will play 10 conference home games and 10 road games beginning in Value City Arena against Iowa on Saturday, Dec. 19. Big Ten action will run through March 6, featuring home-and-home series with Iowa, Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan, Northwestern and Indiana. Ohio State will also host Michigan State on Dec. 31, Minnesota on Feb. 7 and Purdue on Feb. 18.

On Nov. 18, The Ohio State University Department of Athletics determined that family members of the players and coaching staffs of teams competing this fall will no longer be permitted into any university sporting event.

The decision by the department to not allow any fans aligns with the Columbus Department of Health’s stay at home advisory, which was issued on Nov. 18. The advisory will remain in place until Dec. 18.

Broadcasting television networks, as well as game times, are still being determined. Games not televised will be available for viewing on BTN+ streaming platforms.

2020-21 Ohio State Women’s Basketball Schedule

Nov. 25 – Akron

Nov. 29 – Duquesne

Dec. 6 – Northern Kentucky

Dec. 15 – St. Mary’s (CA)

Dec. 19 – Iowa

Dec. 23 – at Maryland

Dec. 31 – Michigan State

Jan. 4 – Penn State

Jan. 7 – at Illinois

Jan. 10 – Rutgers

Jan. 13 – at Iowa

Jan. 16 – at Nebraska

Jan. 21 – Michigan

Jan. 25 – Maryland

Feb. 1 – at Northwestern

Feb. 4 – at Indiana

Feb. 7 – Minnesota

Feb. 10 – at Wisconsin

Feb. 14 – Northwestern

Feb. 18 – Purdue

Feb. 21 – at Michigan

Feb. 24 – at Penn State

Feb. 27 – Indiana

March 5 or 6 – at Rutgers

Lesman is Ohio State’s ninth Rhodes Scholar, and the third Buckeye to be honored in three years — an unprecedented feat in university history. Ohio State’s previous recipients were Henry Wu (2020) and Laila Ujayli (2019).

The Rhodes Scholarship was founded in 1902 and supports graduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Thirty-two scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding seniors and recent graduates across the United States.

“On behalf of Ohio State, we congratulate Daniel Lesman on this outstanding accomplishment. His commitment to research and service beyond self reflects the values of our university community and we are thrilled to see Daniel receive this well-deserved honor,” said President Kristina M. Johnson.

The Rhodes Trust selected Lesman for his work founding a non-profit organization that provides educational resources to homeless and at-risk students, as well as his biomedical research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Huntington's disease, and COVID-19.

“The Rhodes Scholarship is an exceptional achievement, and we are so proud to see Daniel Lesman honored with this award,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce A. McPheron. “Congratulations to Daniel, his family and his academic mentors at Ohio State.”

Lesman is pursuing a major in biomedical science with research distinction in the College of Medicine, and he has maintained a perfect academic record while studying subjects like chemistry, biology, and genetics. He is a Goldwater Scholar, Astronaut Scholar, university honors student and Maximus Scholar.

As a senior in high school, Lesman joined Dr. Nicolas Wein’s genetic therapy lab at Nationwide Children’s Hospital so he could aid in research developing a cure for DMD, which leads to progressive muscle degeneration. Inspired by a friend who has DMD, Lesman continued researching genetic therapy at this lab throughout the course of his undergraduate career, designing and testing small modified RNA molecules to correct the mutations that cause DMD. Lesman is currently leading a project aiming to restore DMD patients’ missing dystrophin protein. Additionally, Lesman researched how therapies mitigating DMD may be applied to Huntington’s disease.

During summer 2019, and again remotely during summer 2020, Lesman conducted research with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, conducting biomedical and genomics research in Dr. Fei Chen’s lab, which develops tools for basic science research. During his first summer at the Broad Institute, Lesman researched how engineering principles could be used to combat disease. When Lesman rejoined this lab remotely during the summer of 2020, he led a project assisting the global battle against COVID-19 in which he developed a better understanding of the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 by discovering mutations in the virus and determining their functional outcomes.

Lesman was awarded Goldwater and Astronaut scholarships during his junior year in recognition of these research endeavors. Lesman’s research has been published in Nature Biotechnology.

During Lesman’s freshman year at Ohio State, he volunteered at Star House, a center for youth experiencing homelessness. Lesman realized that there was an unmet need for academic tutoring among Star House residents, and he eventually founded Pass the Class, a nonprofit organization that has served over 100 homeless and at-risk youth. The organization is currently expanding to other universities across the country.

“As our students go on to attend institutions of higher education and achieve other important milestones, the value of education has never been more apparent to me,” he said.

As a Rhodes Scholar, Lesman plans to pursue Master of Science (MSc) degrees in evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation and physiology, anatomy and genetics. This multidisciplinary course of study will enable Lesman to examine the ways in which policy choices, including educational policies, can impact students of various backgrounds, while also continuing his research on rare genetic disorders. After earning these degrees at Oxford, Lesman will return to the United States to earn an MD/PhD.

Lesman intends to dedicate his career as a physician-scientist to working with patients while continuing his research on genetic disorders, all while removing barriers to education. As a Rhodes Scholar, Lesman will utilize his experiences studying in the U.K. to learn new perspectives on research, health care, and educational policies.

Ohio State University students interested in pursuing the Rhodes Scholarship or other national fellowship opportunities should contact the Undergraduate Fellowship Office located within the University Honors & Scholars Center, fellowships.osu.edu. More information on the Rhodes Scholarship can be found through the Rhodes Trust, rhodesscholar.org

“Centennial of the 19th Amendment” was filmed on Oct. 30 in Ohio Stadium and premieres online at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 21. The program includes interviews with four current and former female marching band members about the significance of this show, voting as a right and the process of developing the drills.

The interviews are followed by a full band performance. The show features songs from Demi Lovato, Aretha Franklin, No Doubt, Eurythmics and Rachel Platten.

During the performance, all band members wore special musician masks with slits for their mouthpieces, and all brass players had bell covers on their instruments to help prevent the spread of aerosols. The formations on the field are designed so band members always stand at least 6 feet apart.

Only members of the band, band staff, an audio engineer and the announcer were allowed in the stadium during filming.

Throughout the season, fans can visit the marching band’s website for the latest updates and follow TBDBITL on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for its latest videos.

The league schedule was announced this evening and, coupled with the Buckeyes’ five non-conference games, gives Ohio State 25 games on its 2020-21 slate.

The season officially gets underway next Wednesday, Nov. 25, when Ohio State hosts Illinois State at 2 p.m. The game will be carried by either ESPN2 or ESPNU. Four days later, on Sunday, Nov. 29, Ohio State faces UMass-Lowell at the Covelli Center at 4 p.m. in a game that will be carried on BTN.

The Buckeyes host Morehead State on Dec. 2 (5 p.m., BTN) and Alabama A&M on Dec. 5 (time TBD on BTN or BTN+) before closing out non-conference play on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at Notre Dame as part of the previously announced Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Big Ten play will run from Dec. 16 through March 6 and include home-and-home games vs. Purdue, Rutgers, Penn State, Michigan State, Iowa and Illinois. The home portion of the Buckeyes’ conference schedule begins on Wednesday, Dec. 23, vs. Rutgers. Ohio State plays two additional games before the end of the calendar year – at Northwestern (Dec. 26) and home vs. Nebraska (Dec. 30).

On Wednesday, The Ohio State University Department of Athletics determined that family members of the players and coaching staffs of teams competing this fall will no longer be permitted into any university sporting event through the remainder of 2020.

The decision by the department to not allow any fans aligns with the Columbus Department of Health’s stay-at-home advisory, which was issued Wednesday. The advisory starts at 6 p.m. Friday and will remain in place for the next 28 days.

2020-21 Ohio State Men’s Basketball Schedule

Nov. 25 – Illinois State (2 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU)

Nov. 29 – UMass-Lowell (4 p.m., BTN)

Dec. 2 – Morehead State (5 p.m., BTN)

Dec. 5 – Alabama A&M (TBD, BTN or BTN+)

Dec. 8 – at Notre Dame

Dec. 16 – at Purdue

Dec. 19 – vs. North Carolina (Cleveland, Ohio)

Dec. 23 – Rutgers

Dec. 26 – at Northwestern

Dec. 30 – Nebraska

Jan. 3 – at Minnesota

Jan. 6 – Penn State

Jan. 9 – at Rutgers

Jan. 13 – Northwestern

Jan. 16 – at Illinois

Jan. 23 – at Wisconsin

Jan. 27 – Purdue

Jan. 31 – Michigan State

Feb. 4 – at Iowa

Feb. 8 or Feb. 9 – at Maryland

Feb. 13 – Indiana

Feb. 18 – at Penn State

Feb. 21 – Michigan

Feb. 25 – at Michigan State

Feb. 28 – Iowa

March 6 – Illinois

The decision by the department to not allow any fans aligns with the Columbus Department of Health’s stay at home advisory, which was issued Wednesday (Nov. 18). The advisory starts at 6 p.m. Friday and will remain in place for the next 28 days.

The Department of Athletics will continue to work with state and local health officials on protocols and adjustments for hosting events during the pandemic. The decision not to allow families at football games will be reevaluated prior to Ohio State’s final home football game of the season, Dec. 12 against the University of Michigan.

The decision not to allow families will, however, stay in place for all of the Ohio State men’s and women’s basketball and hockey home games that are either scheduled, or in the process of being scheduled, through the remainder of 2020.

“The health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, spectators and event staff is our top priority,” Gene Smith, Director of Athletics, said. “We had hoped to continue to allow family members of our student-athletes and coaching staffs to be able to attend games, but circumstances around this pandemic are prompting us to adjust, just as it has throughout the past eight months. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and we will continue to do what is in the best interests of everyone involved.”

A limited number of media will be allowed to document the game from the press box. FOX will televise the game to a national audience.

“Like all students at Ohio State, Buckeye student-athletes continue to outperform the national average in the FGR, the measure of whether a freshman entering in the fall semester graduates from that same institution within six years,” said John E. Davidson, Ohio State faculty athletics representative and professor in Germanic languages and literatures and film studies.

The NCAA established the GSR in 2002 as a means of understanding student-athletes’ academic completion rates more concretely. It does so by accounting for two groups that play an increasingly prominent role in collegiate athletics: mid-year, first-time enrollees and transfers.

“Since the GSR was established, Ohio State’s GSR has improved markedly, reaching a kind of plateau of 86 percent from 2017-19,” Davidson said. “Seen in that context, this year’s improvement by two points to 88 percent is truly significant. Our student-athletes are performing extremely well academically, and the entire department is focused on continuing to improve. Everyone from coaches to athletics leadership to academic staff take this as a point of pride.

“Still, the credit goes to the inspirational young men and women who dedicate themselves to being the best they can be as students and athletes.”

This year’s data includes classes entering Ohio State between 2010 and 2013. During that four-class time period, the FGR for Ohio State student-athletes (74 percent) was above both the Division I average of 68 percent for student-athletes and 67 percent for the general student body at DI institutions overall. A total of 20 Ohio State teams were at or above the national average in FGR.

In the GSR, 12 Ohio State programs were equal to or ahead of the national GSR for their sports, while 16 teams improved their GSR scores. Three maintained a perfect 100 percent in that category – women’s golf, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball – and two more – women’s fencing and synchronized swimming – reached that mark. A total of 12 squads maintained or improved both their FRG and GSR numbers. Women’s fencing, synchronized swimming and women’s volleyball scored 100 percent in both ratings. This is the second consecutive perfect score for women’s volleyball.