herr2ck: Ohio Stadium, pt. 1 - “…and Take His Shoes”

September 2025.

It’s really weird going to a school with a massive football stadium that rivals Ohio’s NFL stadiums. (It actually seats about 40,000 more people than the Bengals and Browns stadiums.) The sheer scale of it overwhelms everything else nearby. As someone who didn’t care about Ohio State football until I started my freshman year, I have since become a classic rabid Buckeyes (and college football as a whole) fan. In a way, Ohio Stadium is one of the best-documented works of campus architecture.

Ohio Stadium is a major fixture of west campus. It is bordered by French Fieldhouse, St. John Arena, and Converse Hall to the north; Lincoln Tower Park to the south; the Maintenance Building and McCracken Power Plant to the east; and the Olentangy River to the west. Prior to the construction of Ohio Stadium, the Buckeyes played in Ohio Field.

Ohio Field History

Looking north from the Neil Avenue grandstand, c. 1892-1897. (Historic Campus Map)

Ohio State officially started fielding a football team in 1890, though attempts had occurred as early as 1886. The Buckeyes’ first college football game took place on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, and their first “home” game was at Recreation Park in German Village against Wooster. (Ohio State lost 0-64.)

Ohio Stadium’s humble origins begin with the Neil Avenue field, which stood west of Neil Avenue around where Hamilton Hall is today. The football team played here, but baseball was more popular, as indicated by its appearance as a baseball diamond. In fall 1898, the wooden bleachers were moved to the location that would become Ohio Field. Ohio Field stood west of High Street between 17th Avenue and Woodruff Avenue.

Ohio Field in 1908. (University Photoarchives)

These measly 500-capacity seats were demolished in 1901 and replaced by larger ones and a grandstand. The above picture shows the newer east bleachers, which were built in 1908. They upgraded the capacity to 4,200 people, which was supplemented by 2,000 new seats to the west. By 1910, the field had ticket booths and could seat 14,000 people in total.

Ohio Field with its upgraded seating, as it appeared during a 1912 matchup against Xichigan. (Knowlton Archives, University Archives)

Ohio State joined the Big Ten in 1912, and after their conference championships in 1916 and 1917, the Buckeyes saw high demand for their games. In a 1919 matchup against Illinois, 20,000 people watched from the stands, while 40,000 more viewed it from the perimeter and from nearby houses. The university realized that a larger stadium was necessary to satisfy demand, and land was purchased along the Olentangy that year. Ohio Field was torn down in 1924, after Ohio Stadium opened. Currently, the site is occupied by Arps Hall, its parking garage, and a chilled water plant.

Ohio Stadium History

A rendering of Ohio Stadium. (University Archives)

Ohio Stadium has one of the most well-documented histories of any campus building. It was designed starting in 1918 by university architect Howard Dwight Smith, under the supervision of the Ohio Stadium Building Committee. (Smith was awarded the AIA Gold Medal for Public Building Design for the project.) The plans were approved in May 1921, and construction began by that August. The general contractor was E. H. Latham Co. Ohio Stadium was used before its construction was completed--it was dedicated in October 1922 with two games having been played prior, but the “finishing touches” were still being added in May 1923. It cost $1.5 million and sat 66,210 people. Apparently, students and locals had a habit of exploring the construction site and displacing the wet concrete’s rebar in the process, which forced the university to ask that the public reel in their curiosity.

Ohio Stadium under construction in 1922. (Buckeye Stroll)

Ohio Stadium, as it was built, is a Beaux-Arts design. Though the stadium is built of reinforced concrete (when it was completed, it was the largest concrete structure in the world), it incorporates many classical details which are molded into the walls. Most prominent are the towers and colonnade, the latter of which is now obscured but is still referenced by the expansion. Additionally, if you’ve learned your architectural history, the coffered north dome is a clear recreation of the one that crowns the Pantheon in Rome.

A 1926 aerial view of Ohio Stadium. (Buckeye Stroll)

Ohio Stadium’s iconic horseshoe shape (less apparent now due to the addition of the student section) was influenced by the two largest stadiums of the time--Harvard Stadium and the Yale Bowl. Harvard Stadium has a similar U-shape and is larger in size, but it has a lower capacity. The Yale Bowl is essentially a pit in the ground--it has a high capacity, but poor lighting and air access. Howard Dwight Smith combined attributes of the two and introduced a revolutionary deck system, where the nosebleeds hang over the lower decks, unlike Yale’s simple bowl shape. Additionally, he avoided the Colosseum-esque double arches of Harvard Stadium by designing thicker columns. This unique design was the first of its kind in the United States, and it was the largest stadium west of the Appalachian Mountains upon completion.

Ohio State vs. scUM, 1926. (University Archives)

Though Ohio Stadium was built with 66,000 seats (and in fact struggled to fill them at first), additional measures were taken by Howard Dwight Smith to augment this capacity where necessary. Standing room was included, and supplementary bleachers were added to the south end, where the student section is now, for high-demand games. This raised capacity to 82,000 people.

An early change to the stadium was its standing-room ticket policy. Standing-room only tickets were sold through the stadium’s opening until 1926, when 90,000 fans stormed the field and rioted after the Buckeyes missed an extra point against Xichigan, which cost them the game. Standing-room tickets have never been sold since, and the temporary bleachers were then installed for the duration of the football season.

Ohio Stadium’s 1929 press box. (University Photoarchives)

The first major alteration to Ohio Stadium was its press box. Two small press boxes on the east and west sides were built with the stadium, but they were removed by fall 1929 and replaced by a larger box on the west side. A platform on top and booths on the sides were added in 1937 and 1947, respectively.

A 1944 model of the Ohio Stadium annex. (University Archives)

A fun anecdote is the unbuilt south addition to the stadium. This 1944 design was meant to house a fieldhouse and auditorium, which would employ the domed entrance as a stage. The OSU Alumni Monthly called it “nothing short of [a] monstrosity” and lamented that “from any angle, it looks screwy.” I personally don’t hate the design aesthetically because it references the stadium’s arches and towers, but the way it attaches to the stadium and overpowers it is odd, and it also obscures the iconic north entrance and dome. Thankfully, it was never built, and the concept was later realized as St. John Arena.

The 1950 press box before its windows were added. (University Photoarchives)

Another press box was designed by Howard Dwight Smith in 1949, and it was completed in 1950. It had three levels and a camera platform on top. The top floor was extended 19 feet on each end and an elevator was added by university architect W. E. Linch in 1965. A “research space” was also added to the east side between 1962 and 1977.

Ohio Stadium’s field was natural grass until 1971, when Lou Fisher made a donation that allowed the university to replace it with AstroTurf. Eight years later, it was again replaced by SuperTurf. In 1990, a special natural grass was planted, which formed the field until 2006. FieldTurf was installed in 2007, and it was replaced by Shaw Sports Momentum Pro in 2022.

The stadium’s south stands in 1996. (University Archives)

The enclosure of the south end was a controversial subject. The temporary seating on the south end remained, which was assembled and disassembled for the football season. An Ohio senator, Doug Applegate, proposed two resolutions in 1971 and 1974 that obligated Ohio State to study the possibility of adding 20,000 more seats to the south end. Ohio’s legislature cannot affect the university athletic department, so Applegate claimed he was trying to raise awareness towards the aging stadium, calling for a renovation and expansion or demolition and the construction of a new stadium. After Ohio Stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, Applegate saw this as a personal attack, famously quipping “horseshoes belong on horses.” In 1991, new bleachers and seats were added to the south end.

Ohio Stadium in 2000 during its expansion. (Buckeye Stroll)

Ohio Stadium’s current appearance is due to a renovation that occurred between 2000 and 2001. The field, which was previously at ground level, was sunk 14.5 feet into the ground. The track was replaced by more seating, and the south bleachers became permanent. Additionally, the stadium was expanded outward, and the new facade was designed to resemble the old one behind. A larger scoreboard was added to the south end as well. This renovation cost $194 million, none of which came from student or university funds.

Recent modifications include a smaller north scoreboard, seats above the entrance tunnels, and permanent lights. (Ohio Stadium did not have fixed lights prior to 2014, and night games were rare.)

Here are some small miscellaneous changes to Ohio Stadium that were hard to fit in elsewhere. A two-story addition to the southeast tower’s locker rooms was built in 1928. A film projection room was added nearby in 1947. The west side was enclosed at ground level between 1948 and 1949. Underneath the east side was a theater that operated between 1950 and 1971.

Stadium Dormitory History

The dormitory under construction. (University Archives)

For part of its history, Ohio Stadium housed dormitory space. During the Great Depression, Ohio State wanted to ensure that the most talented applicants could afford a college education. The original stadium dormitory, known as the Tower Club, was opened inside the southwest in 1933. The capacity of 78 was quickly found to be too small, and an addition was designed immediately afterwards that could fit 100 more. Four total additions were completed by 1948. The students who lived in the dorm would work daily in exchange for cheaper room and board.

A rec room in the stadium dormitory in 1961. (University Archives)

The dorms were converted from barrack-style to typical enclosed rooms between 1959 and 1961. It was a male-only dorm until 1975. In 1982, the university lacked the funds to complete major repairs to the space, but with the help of residents the money was raised. With the 2000 addition to Ohio Stadium, the students were moved to Mack Hall. Today, Stadium Scholarship students live in Scholars East and West.

Ohio Stadium Traditions/Memories

This is more of a “for fun” section, but Ohio State fans have all sorts of fun traditions at football games that involve the stadium. I found this compelling when attending my first games, and today it makes me look back at my time in the Shoe fondly.

Ohio Stadium is commonly nicknamed “the Horseshoe” or “the ‘Shoe,” the latter being more common among students of my generation. There’s also “The House that [Chic] Harley Built,” but I haven’t heard anyone say that except Wikipedia.

Hatred of That Team Up North (Michigan) is an essential part of being an Ohio State fan. I hate those blue and pee-yellow uniforms, their snobbishness and sense of superiority ("Michigan Men"), their blatant cheating without consequences, and the fact I have yet to see us beat them as a student, even though we are clearly the better team. Hopefully this is the year Ryan Day shakes the Walmart Wolverines. (Don't get me wrong, Michigan is a beautiful state, they just have a large skidmark of a university about an hour west of Detroit.)

You might be curious about the name of this article. It comes from the cheer that fans do during kickoff/punts. It started simply--while the kicker prepares, the stadium cheers “O” as loud as they can, and once he connects with the ball they finish “-H-I-O!” It has expanded in recent years with the advent of the Block O student section. When Ohio State receives, fans say “O-H-I-O LET’S GO BUCKS!”, and when the opponent receives, it’s “O-H-I-O RIP HIS F*CKING HEAD OFF AND TAKE HIS SHOEEEES!” I’ve also heard “...AND TAKE HIS MOM OUT TO A REALLY NICE DINNER AND NEVER CALL HER BACK!” after the latter.

A common cheer that’s similar often happens before the game starts, known as “Stadium Ohio.” The Block O announcer will shout: “HEY STADIUM! O!” Of course nobody except those nearby hear, but as more people notice and start cheering, it moves around the stadium. The south side shouts “O,” the east “H,” the north “I,” and the west “O,” and the cheer repeats.

A bell in the southeast tower, known as the Victory Bell, was installed in 1954. Members of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega will ring the bell for 15 minutes after every home victory, and for 30 minutes after the Buckeyes beat that team up north. Ohio State is trying to do this thing where it rings every third down now, but it’s impossible to hear with all the canned music blaring and takes away from its significance.

I didn’t really care for college football very much prior to attending Ohio State, but doing so converted me into a huge fan. I’ve held season tickets all four years of undergrad, and I got to see the CFP first round game against Tennessee for the 2024 season. Here is a quick list of my top five games I saw live at the stadium:

2024 CFP First Round vs. Tennessee, 12/21/24, 42-17

Tennessee fans talked all this trash but couldn’t back it up at all. I think they made the same mistake as we did vs. TTUN where we tried to out-tough them. Lots of fun “SEC” chants and singing along to Rocky Top while the Jumbotron showed glowering Tennessee fans. If there really were 40,000 like they claimed, they shut up quick.

2025 vs. Texas, 8/30/25, 14-7

This was probably the loudest game I’ve been to besides the Tennessee game. Our defense played excellently, despite everyone being convinced they would suck, and it was a very satisfying win. I couldn’t talk for the entire rest of the day. I had great seats, too.

2023 vs. Penn State, 10/21/23, 20-13

Penn State games are always fun to watch, especially live. They’re kind of a “lil bro” in the B1G in that they’re a very good team but cannot beat the Ohio States and Xichigans of the world. Their cheer to Kernkraft 400 is stupid and every OSU fan knows to yell “F*CK YOU PENN STATE!” when it plays, and whoever was in charge of the canned music did it during the 4th quarter. Great stuff.

2022 vs. Notre Dame, 9/3/22, 21-10

This was my first ever Ohio State game, and a win against Notre Dame was a great way to spark my fandom.

2024 vs. Indiana, 11/23/24, 38-15

The whole 2024 season struggled with energy in the stadium, and it got to the point where coaches would ask for better fan engagement during Skull Session and the stadium aired “hype videos” of players trying to raise the volume. I think a lot of it is that the only people who can afford tickets most of the time are old geezers who just sit on their butt all game, and the fans who care and are engaged are priced out. Indiana was a top 5 matchup at the time (that’s weird to write out), and this was pretty much the first time that entire season that the stadium got really loud. I honestly wished we didn’t play Indiana, I was rooting for them the whole season and I was really glad that they made the CFP that year.

Photos

Let’s start at the south side of the stadium, since that’s how I always approached it as a student. Photos don’t do justice just how large it is:

Jumbotron above Buckeye Grove:

The side of the addition is basically sheared off in order not to obscure the original towers, but it’s odd to me how the concrete is left fully exposed.

Southwest tower:

These were the original ends of the stadium and capped it off with a flourish. The colonnades are very fancy and have values of the program engraved on the frieze. Here is what the south side says:

West side:

Student section:

I really hate the “Defend the Shoe” ad campaign by Anduril. A company that is part of the military-industrial complex that manufactures drones and camera towers for mass surveillance should not be a sponsor of Ohio State football, but I know full well OSU doesn’t care where it gets its money.

Massive west front of the stadium contrasted with the student section:

Again, pictures don’t do it justice…this stadium is massive.

The addition cuts out again by the north towers and half-dome:

I think this odd work of art also deters people from driving cars this way:

I wish the stadium was designed with this side facing south. It would be lit by the sun and look so pretty!!! I hate that it’s always shaded.

Same view at night:

Corner tower:

Brand-new Archie statue…that base is so cheap-looking:

The three central arches:

Note the festoons coursing their way across the underside of the dome, as well as all the patches onto the concrete over the years.

Each of the portals has a nice stained-glass window inside. I wish I had taken these pictures at night, when they’re lit better, but these will have to do. Football players:

Note the Doric pilasters along the wall, too. Block O:

Dang glare…tackling some Michigan State players? The opponent’s jerseys have green accents.

Each entrance is framed with I-beams decorated with little rosettes:

Looking down that famed ramp--I’m still so grateful I got to march it that one time.

Now what we’ve all been waiting for…that beautiful coffered dome:

Coffering detail:

In the case of the Pantheon, the coffers reduce the dome’s weight (it was and still is the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world), and the rosettes are believed to represent the stars of the heavens. Here, it’s purely for aesthetics. Close-up:

The towers extol courage and loyalty:

Intersection of various materials inside the concourse:

The C-Deck uses the original exterior walls as buttresses.

Different parts of the stadium have been updated at different times. These windows look to be Mid-Century Modern, due to the aluminum mullions and blue spandrels:

…while these appear original to the stadium:

If you look back at my photo of the southwest tower, you’ll even see a 70s-80s era window there. However, the southeast tower is mostly original:

This is where future Buckeye football players visit. I see expensive cars and massive high school kids walking in sometimes.

Victory bell and “For Vigor”:

Now these are some outdated football values here…

I had a hard time gaining access to the stadium interior. It was open to the public for decades, but only now is Ohio State closing it to casual visitors and requiring people to book tours. This was explained to me by the miffed redcoat at the open west gate, who said he is asked that same question by confused parents and visitors a hundred times a day. I pay enough money to OSU as it is and didn’t feel like forking over more, so I figured I would use my photos I took on my phone from the student section over the years at first.

However, I ran into a friend of mine while I was finishing up my exterior photos, and with their help I was able to explore part of the B-Deck on the north side with them. I won’t share the method or how this person was affiliated with the stadium to protect both of us, but I will say that the stadium is now kept much more secure after the tragic death of a student recently and the public urination on one of the end zones by another.

Each pier here has a fancy capital and block O:

Retired numbers--Troy Smith #10 (this is “enshrined” and still available to wear, Julian Sayin wears it currently), Les Horvath #22, Eddie George #27, Vic Janowicz #31, Howard “Hopalong” Cassady #40, Archie Griffin #45, Chic Harley #47, and Bill Willis #99:

Big ol’ student section:

West tower and “For Strength”:

East tower and “For Spirit”:

I never got a photo of the main concourse and don’t care to, but here’s one of B-Deck’s:

Looking into the space between the original stadium and addition:

Student Section Views

Last up are my various perspectives from the south stands to the stadium floor. This first one is from the 2024 spring game, where I was practically right next to field level: