The Ohio State Buckeyes are as classic and vintage as college football gets. The Buckeyes played their first game in program history in 1890 and have built a rich history ever since. While many changes have shaken the program over the years, their helmet stickers have remained a constant, with the tradition growing stronger.
As the Buckeyes take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the National Championship Game, all eyes in the country are set on the football field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Monopolizing the attention are the stickers on Ohio State’s shiny silver helmets. But why are they there, and what do they simbolize?
The stickers are beacons for the accolades and milestones achieved by each player throughout the NCAA season. This means there is a very slim chance any two helmets will look alike when the Buckeyes face the Fighting Irish during the title match.
The tradition dates back to the 1967 season, as reported by USA Today, and was created by Ohio State trainer Ernie Biggs. The first player in program history to ever receive a sticker was Jim Nein, who returned an interception for a 45-yard touchdown.
Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith #4 of the Ohio State Buckeyes seen in action during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Ohio Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
How are stickers earned?
Players on the Buckeyes’ program can earn stickers for their helmet, both via individual achievements and team-based milestones. However, since Ryan Day took over as head coach in 2018, there have been some changes.
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Players receive one sticker for each touchdown they account for. Quarterbacks earn a sticker if they meet a certain completion percentage that is agreed upon going into a game, according to ESPN. Moreover, they also receive a sticker for collective success, and especially if that success is against the fiercest competitors.
Players get a sticker for each win, double the amount for each Big Ten win, and three for every victory over the “Team from Up North”, a.k.a. the Michigan Wolverines. Those decals haven’t been handed out since 2019, when the Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines by a score of 56-27.
What is the icon on the sticker?
The stickers on Ohio State’s helmets have a buckeye leaf on them. Each helmet can take up until 47 stickers on each side, and the stickers are only worn for a season.
Will Howard (18) QB hands the ball off to (32) TreVeyon Henderson RB during the first half of the NCAA, College League, USA first round playoffs Tennessee vs Ohio State at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Once the season comes to an end, the players receive new helmets. Thus, while his freshman season is headed for the record books, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith won’t get to wear his iconic helmet next season and will have to do it all over again.
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Sign of respect
Whenever Ohio State steps onto the gridiron, tons of respect from the opponent are evident. However, the silver helmets and their historic tradition boast another kind of respect—one that also translates into fear in their opponents’ eyes.
“You see a guy with a ton of stickers on his helmet, and you know he’s a dude,” Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka told ESPN in 2022. “The more stickers you have on your helmet, the more respected you are, and the more feared you are by an opponent.”
Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes walks across the field before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
Stickers galore
The Buckeyes must ensure they never run out of stickers, as they walk into every game believing they’ll walk out victorious. They can’t afford to be caught sticker-less afterward when a player goes to claim his much-deserved decal.
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As a result, Ohio State orders nearly 7,500 stickers each year and hands out about 400 decals after every game.
