Spirit & Sports

An illustration of Howard Dwight Smith as he appeared in 1921 with Ohio Stadium in the foreground

Imagining an icon

Howard Dwight Smith was inspired by ancient architecture when creating the stadium that has served Ohio State for 100 years.

A bearded man in a navy blazer stands smiles broadly in his office, surrounded by plants

He knows the power of architecture 

To two-time graduate Sam Rosenthal, CEO of architecture firm Schooley Caldwell, designing spaces and renovating landmarks are about creating great experiences for people.

Unique to you: How to upcycle an old buckeye necklace

Clay artist Lizzie Howald shares her process for creating oven-baked beads so you can make your own nutty statement piece.

In a basement decked out with Ohio State keepsakes, an older man in glasses takes a close look at the front of the Ohio Stadium model he built, which is slightly taller than his head.

This expert built a mini ’Shoe in his basement

Engineer Bob Long, who helped renovate the stadium, spent more than 1,000 hours re-creating “the cathedral of football.”

A shiny black turtle carving can be seen from overhead. Its shell lists games the Buckeyes played in the 1980s against Illinois, which were mostly wins. The text says: Illi Buck 6; 1980 Ohio 49, Ill 42; 1981 Ohio 34, Ill 27; 1982 Ohio 26, Ill 21; 1983 Ohio 13, Ill 17; 1984 Ohio 45, Ill 38; 1985 Ill 31, Ohio 28; 1986 Ohio 14, Ill 0; 1987 Ohio 10, Ill 8

8 treasures from the ’Shoe’s first 100 years

1922 game tickets, Jesse Owens’ daughter’s trophy, Woody Hayes’ notes — check out these gems from University Archives.

A woman in a marching band uniform smiles brightly as she leans on a counter in front of display cases of TBDBITL memorabilia.

TBDBITL: A ‘history much bigger than me’

Director Hoch, trombonist Tori Mollenkopf and an interactive video share what it’s like to belong to this beloved band.

An old black and white photo taken from the west side of the stadium shows some exterior arch work completed and the skeleton of what will become the upper deck of stands.

See our dream home being built: 1920–22 photos

Construction scenes show some of the state-of-the-art work that helped Ohio Stadium become a lasting Buckeye icon.

In an old color photograph, a young woman in cap and gown stands between her proud parents. Ohio Stadium can be seen in the background.

Our stadium means fun, family and friendships

For the alumni association president, the ’Shoe plays a longtime leading role in fall traditions and college memories.

An old black and white photo shows bare-bones accommodations: A man studying sits at a small table. Another sits on a bottom bunk bed another man is lying in. A man in the background opens a locker where his clothes hang.

For many scholarship students, the ’Shoe fit

Residents of the Ohio Stadium Scholarship Dorm gained access to college, work experience and lifelong friendships.

Inside the ’Shoe, a happy woman decked out in Ohio State gear sits high in the stands as football players line the field behind her.

Homecoming, Welcome Week, storming the field…

Block O, commencement. Looking at the ’Shoe, Chantelle Porter ’03 instantly recalls some of the best days of her life.