Archie Griffin will kick off the 50th anniversary of his second Heisman-winning season by literally ringing in a new tradition at Ohio State.
The legendary Ohio State running back will serve as the first-ever pregame Victory Bell ringer before the Buckeyes’ season opener against Texas on Aug. 30. Griffin, who will also help select future bell ringers as an ambassador alongside members of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, is honored he was chosen to start the new tradition.
“I'm honored to be able to be the first bell ringer at Ohio State. It's something new that's going on at Ohio State, but I think it's going to work out extremely well because the Buckeyes are going to have a great season, and that bell is going to ring a lot,” Griffin said Saturday before an autograph session at Dick’s Sporting Goods House of Sport.
Being selected to ring the bell before the season opener is just one way Ohio State has honored Griffin in recognition of his two Heisman Trophy wins, a feat that remains unmatched 50 years later. Before last year’s season opener, Ohio State unveiled a statue of Griffin outside the Ohio Stadium’s north rotunda. Ohio State also placed an Archie Griffin Drive street sign at the intersection of Woody Hayes Drive and Tuttle Park Place northeast of Ohio Stadium, and he dotted the ‘i’ in Script Ohio during halftime of last season’s season opener vs. Akron.
Griffin is full of gratitude that Ohio State continues to recognize his accomplishments half-a-century later.
“50 years ago is a long, long time, and it's really a real, true honor to be able to, first of all, be here. I mean, 50 years is a long time,” Griffin said. “But to have the honors that I've had the last couple of years, it's pretty special. There's no question about it. It's pretty special. The statue, and all that goes along with that, and now having the chance in the 50th year of my second Heisman to be the first bell ringer at Ohio State and get the honors of doing that is pretty special.”
The golden anniversary of Griffin’s first Heisman was capped off by watching the Buckeyes win the national championship last year, which he said was what he expected to happen all along.
“It was unbelievable, it really was,” Griffin said. “I wasn't surprised at all, because that team was loaded in talent, and in my mind, a national championship is what they should have had. And they got it.”
Even with 14 NFL draft picks gone from last year, Griffin expects the Buckeyes to have another excellent season in 2025.
“I'm very excited about this team,” Griffin said. “I think it's a great team. I think they're going to have an outstanding season. I know that they're going to be getting a lot of pressure because of the championship last year, so a lot of people have their eyes on them, and I think they'll stand up to the challenge. I really do, because I think Ryan Day has done a terrific job with this group, and I think they'll hold their own this year.”
“Having the chance in the 50th year of my second Heisman to be the first bell ringer at Ohio State and get the honors of doing that is pretty special.”– Archie Griffin on being the first Victory Bell ringer at Ohio State
Day’s leadership is a big reason why Griffin expects more success from Ohio State in 2025.
“Just the way that he interacts with the team, he gives them the opportunity to express their opinion. They've got a good working relationship, and I think that's important,” Griffin said. “I think the players appreciate that, and I know that the coaches appreciate the way that the players have accepted the things that they've asked them to do.”
Griffin’s appearance was part of the grand opening weekend for the new Dick’s House of Sport at Polaris Fashion Place. Located at 1510 Polaris Parkway in Columbus, Dick’s will host another autograph session with Jeremiah Smith on Sunday. The autograph session begins at noon, with wristbands to be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis when the store opens at 9 a.m. Sunday.
