New Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said all offseason that improving the gameday atmosphere at Ohio Stadium was one of his top priorities. On Tuesday, Bjork and Ohio State announced numerous changes in an effort to generate more crowd excitement at the Shoe.
This is Tradition Evolved.
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) August 5, 2025
Were not replacing tradition. Were evolving it with purpose, with passion, and with Buckeye Nation at the heart of it.
Ohio State is introducing several new traditions for the 2025 season, including a pregame Victory Bell ringer. The Victory Bell will now sound before the team storms the field, with someone notable with Ohio State ties selected to ring the bell before each game; Ohio State legend Archie Griffin will serve as the first pregame Victory Bell ringer before the Buckeyes’ season opener against Texas.
Ohio State is also introducing THE Towel, a scarlet and gray towel that fans will be encouraged to wave to show their support. Approximately 100,000 towels will be distributed to fans for free at the Ohio State vs. Texas game, and fans will be encouraged to bring the towel with them to future games, while the towels will also be sold.
Brutus Buckeye will have “a unique and iconic entrance” each week, according to Ohio State’s news release, while fans will be awarded a virtual Buckeye Leaf each time the opposing offense commits a false start or calls a timeout due to crowd noise.
Ohio State will have a unified student section this year as Block O North is being moved to the other side of the stadium to join Block O South, creating a larger and louder student section in the south end zone.
Ohio State will have fewer sponsor presentations during media timeouts this season, and the in-game presentations that do take place will utilize the entrance ramp rather than taking place on the game field. Content displayed on the video boards at the Shoe will be reformatted to “what Buckeye fans want: real-time stats, scores, and replays, with a presentation style that feels distinctly Ohio State.”
OSU says it will also place a greater emphasis on “playing music that feeds off the energy inside the stadium.” The song “Ohio” by Columbus band Caamp will play in the first half of each game, set to “a powerful visual tribute to the people and places that make this state home,” as a gameday anthem for the Shoe.
The Buckeyes will also host three “color out” games this year, in which Ohio State will ask fans to wear specific colors in a coordinated effort to color the stadium. The season opener vs. Texas will be a Scarlet the Shoe game, the Sept. 13 night game vs. Ohio will be a Helmet Stripe game (gray with white and scarlet sections) and the Nov. 1 game vs. Penn State will be a Wear Black game.
TBDBITL will move to the north end zone this season. The band will still play “Hang on Sloopy” during every game, but the band could play it at different times during the second half “when the energy and timing feel right” rather than only at the end of the third quarter.
“Tradition at Ohio State is our North Star,” Bjork said in a statement. “As this process unfolded, we wanted to protect and honor our tradition while also evolving it with purpose, passion, and with Buckeye Nation at the heart of it.”
Ohio State’s full release on its “Tradition Evolved” initiative to reimagine the gameday experience at the Shoe can be found below.
Tradition Evolved: Honoring the Past While Stepping into the Future
Athletics Department’s commitment to align Ohio Stadium’s energy with the passion of the people in it
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Department of Athletics has been hard at work the past nine months reimagining the entire gameday experience at Ohio Stadium. Tradition Evolved is the department’s commitment to aligning Ohio Stadium’s energy with the passion of the people in it.
“Tradition at Ohio State is our North Star,” Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director Ross Bjork said. “As this process unfolded, we wanted to protect and honor our tradition while also evolving it with purpose, passion, and with Buckeye Nation at the heart of it.”
What is Tradition Evolved?
Tradition Evolved is growing our traditions and memories, such as the playing of the Victory Bell, TBDBITL’s ramp entrance, and the road after a third-down stop, to make them even more memorable and powerful.
After all, with new leadership under Bjork and an exciting example set during the College Football Playoffs home game against Tennessee in December, the athletics department was reminded that Ohio Stadium at its best is unmatched.
Victory Bell Ringer
The tradition of Alpha Phi Omega members ringing the Victory Bell has long echoed across campus after each Buckeye win. That tradition will continue, but beginning this fall, the bell will also ring in a new era.
To ignite the energy of the crowd before kickoff, the Victory Bell will now sound before the team storms the field. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of his second Heisman Trophy, Archie Griffin will serve as the first pregame Victory Bell “ringer” on August 30 when the Buckeyes take on the Texas Longhorns. Griffin will also help select future bell ringers as an ambassador alongside Alpha Phi Omega.
The bell’s iconic ring will also now serve as the official sound of 3rd down inside the stadium. Just above the bell, etched in the 1922 concrete of Ohio Stadium, are the words “For Vigor” – a call for effort, energy, and enthusiasm. That’s exactly what the Victory Bell will represent every time it rings and what the department is asking Buckeye Nation to provide.
THE Towel
A consistent item to show unwavering support has been wanted by fans. THE Towel has been created to be just that. Approximately 100,000 fans will receive THE Towel for free at the season-opening game against Texas and will be reminded to bring it with them to all future games. The color combo for THE Towell will be scarlet and gray.
Color Outs
Coordinated efforts to color the stadium stands help create a unified and energized atmosphere inside Ohio Stadium and can provide an unmistakable home-field advantage. There will be three “color out” games this year and fans can visit the GoBuckeyes.com links below to prepare:
Scarlet the ’Shoe – August 30 vs. Texas https://gobuckeyes.com/pages/scarlet-out
Helmet Stripe – September 13 vs. Ohio https://gobuckeyes.com/pages/helmet-stripe
Wear Black – November 1 vs. Penn State https://gobuckeyes.com/pages/wear-blackEntrances
Each game this year will feature a unique and iconic entrance for Brutus Buckeye, changing week to week to bring surprise and energy to fans in the stadium.
Defend The ’Shoe
Make noise … earn Buckeye leaves. In an effort to make Ohio Stadium even more intimidating, every time a visiting team’s offense commits a false start penalty or burns a timeout because of crowd noise, Buckeye Nation will be awarded with a Buckeye leaf. A visual representation of the stadium receiving a Buckeye leaf will be shown on the videoboards displays, along with fixed signage in front of the Block O section to keep track of the number of Buckeye leaves earned throughout the season.
TBDBITL
Beginning this season, The Best Damn Band in the Land will perform from a new home in the north end of Ohio Stadium. This move supports the South End Zone Premium Seating project and also marks a return to tradition. TBDBITL originally held its spot in the north end prior to the 2001 stadium renovation.
This isn’t just a relocation, it’s an upgrade. The band’s new location sits on a concrete foundation, rather than the metal south stands, allowing for stronger sound projection and creating an even more intense environment for opposing teams. To amplify that impact, there will be new microphone placements and temporary on-field speakers will be added.
Hang On Sloopy will still echo through Ohio Stadium. While it has traditionally been a 3rd quarter break moment, this year the band will have flexibility to play it in the second half when the energy and timing feel right. The tradition remains, just with a little more instinct and impact behind it. We know fans care deeply about this moment, and so does Ohio State athletics. This adjustment is about keeping it powerful, memorable, and perfectly timed.
Soundtrack of Ohio Stadium
This season the Athletics Department is curating a soundtrack, injecting songs that reflect the pride, grit, and heart of our state. At the heart of this is a new gameday anthem from Columbus’ own Caamp, whose song “Ohio” will play in the first half of each game, set to a powerful visual tribute to the people and places that make this state home. It’s a moment meant to stir something deep: a sense of place, connection, and gratitude.
Just as important is what is played is how it connects to the moment. Greater emphasis will be placed on timing, and playing music that feeds off the energy inside the stadium. Whether it’s a surge of momentum or a crowd ready to erupt, the soundtrack will meet the moment and elevate it.
Block O
Block O energy is getting turned up this year. Block O North has been moved to join its counterpart in the south stands, forming one unified Block O section. This bold move creates a larger, louder, and more coordinated force, amplifying the impact students have on the game.
When the students lead, the stadium follows. That means fresh takes on traditions like card stunts and bold new ways to get involved, including the debut of Defend the ’Shoe: a student-driven rallying cry that raises the volume and the stakes when it matters most. Whether it’s disrupting a snap count or forcing a timeout, Block O will be at the center of it all, driving the noise that helps the Buckeyes earn their leaves.
Videoboard Content
Videoboard content will be what Buckeye fans want: real-time stats, scores, and replays, with a presentation style that feels distinctly Ohio State. The use of full-board takeovers will be expanded, like those witnessed during the Tennessee CFP game, to enhance impactful moments. Whether it’s a critical third down, an intro video, or a crowd-fueled touchdown celebration, the videoboard will bring the intensity and pride of Buckeye Nation to the forefront.
Presentations
There will be fewer overall presentations in the stadium, and those will be more meaningful, more impactful, and unmistakably Ohio State. The iconic North Band Ramp will be utilized as the stage for these moments. There will be a new Buckeye leaf platform recognition space for individuals who have truly earned their leaves.
