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The University of Ohio State football program has more traditions than a turkey dressed for frying, and the Buckeyes’ football helmet stickers also have their own tradition. Even college football fans might not know what a buckeye is or why there are so many of them on the players’ helmets. Some players have as little as no stickers, and others have so many stickers plastered on the helmets that it covers up the primary silver color underneath.
The Ohio State stickers represent the leaves of the buckeye, a species of tree native to North America. Players receive buckeye stickers for exceptional play. Specifically, each player receives a sticker for a win, two stickers for a win in a conference game, and three stickers for a win over Michigan. After today’s loss to Michigan, Ohio State players will not be getting three stickers. Players also get stickers for individual performance or unit achievements (linebackers, running backs, etc.), but it’s not clear how each Ohio State coach might decide the criteria to award players with buckeye stickers.
The official Ohio State Buckeyes website further explains what a buckeye is:
“A small, shiny, dark brown nut with a light tan patch that comes from the official state tree of Ohio, the buckeye tree. According to folklore, the Buckeye resembles the eye of a deer and carrying one brings good luck.”
But like Tide pods, you’re only supposed to carry them. Do not ingest a buckeye because every part of the buckeye tree including its leaves, bark, and fruit are toxic. Additionally, a buckeye can also refer to a resident of the state of Ohio. According to the official Ohio State Buckeyes website, the term buckeye refers to a notable man 15 years before Ohio became a state:
“The first recorded use of the term Buckeye to refer to a resident of the area was in 1788, some 15 years before Ohio became a state. Col. Ebenezer Sproat, a 6’4″ man of large girth and swashbuckling mannerisms, led the legal delegation at the first court session of the Northwest Territory in Marietta. The Indians in attendance greeted him with shouts of “Hetuck, Hetuck” (the Indian word for buckeye), it is said because they were impressed by his stature and manner. He proudly carried the Buckeye nickname for the rest of his life and it gradually spread to his companions and to other local settlers. By the 1830s, writers were commonly referring to locals as 'Buckeyes.'”
Other schools like Georgia (dog bones), Clemson (paw prints), and Florida State (spears) also utilize the practice of giving stickers to players for excellent play on the football field. This Ohio State tradition represents one small part of a storied football program that dates back as far as 1890. Their biggest rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, have played against them since 1897.
