The Big Buckeye Quiz

Let’s be honest. There are Buckeyes, and then there are BUCKEYES. We’re talkin’ the scarlet-and-gray-wearin’, O-H-callin’, “Carmen Ohio”-singin’ devotees who make up the heart of Buckeye Nation. If you want to be one of the elite, you gotta know the score. The history. The innovators and leaders and stars. Do you? Try our quiz and judge for yourself. But be warned: It’s designed to share new-to-you facts—not what everyone already knows. 

Keep track of your score if you’d like to see how you fare in our rating system at the end of this story.

1. What was Ohio State’s original name?

A. Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College

B. Ohio Land Grant Academy

C. Agricultural College of the State of Ohio

D. Ohio State University (without “The”)

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Answer: A. The Ohio Legislature changed the name to The Ohio State University in 1878, five years after doors opened.

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2. Pick out the pairing that doesn’t name an original building and what stands in its place now.

A. Raney Commons, Bowen House

B. The Armory, Wexner Center for the Arts

C. University Hall (Ohio State’s first building, right), University Hall

D. Larkins Hall, RPAC

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Answer: A. In the place where the Raney Commons dining hall used to stand, Raney House now is. Bowen House is the next-door residence hall. See more about how campus changed through the years in this interactive map. 

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3. True or false? In 1881, trustees originally refused bringing electric lights to campus because they were deemed impractical.

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Answer: True

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4. Match the historical event to the Ohio State president who was in office at the time:

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5. Compared with the first day Ohio State opened in 1873, fall semester these days starts:

A. About three weeks later

B. Exactly on the same date—it’s tradition.

C. About three weeks earlier

D. Two months earlier

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Answer: C. Ohio State’s first day was Sept. 17, 1873. School now starts in late August.

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6. Ohio State’s yearbook is titled Makio. Why?

A. It started as a joke, with the nickname for a mackerel a professor tried to introduce to Mirror Lake a few months before the first yearbook published.

B. It’s named after a married female ninja, bold and outspoken, in the Japanese manga series “Demon Slayer.”

C. A name for a magic mirror in Japan, Makio was picked by a professor in the 1800s to signify reflecting on the past year.

D. A Japanese word for “pasture,” the second president chose it as a nod to the university’s growth from the original site.

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Answer: C

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7. Which Ohio State president served the longest?

A. E. Gordon Gee 

B. William Oxley Thompson

C. Michael V. Drake 

D. William Scott 

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Answer: B. William Oxley Thompson, with 26 years

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8. True or false? Rutherford B. Hayes, who had been U.S. president and governor of Ohio, declined to become Ohio State’s president because he did not feel qualified. 

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Answer: True (That’s him in the photo.)

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9. True or false? A controversial decision in 1881 to require students to attend chapel exercises helped persuade University President Edward Orton to stay in his post three years longer.

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Answer: False. The decision helped President Orton decide it was time to retire from the post.

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10. In 1909, which story didn’t appear in the first edition of the publication that would become Ohio State Alumni Magazine?

A. “Dr. Barrows’ Unpublished Poems,” an accounting of the surprisingly creative side of a serious scholar who had passed

B. “The Mocking-Bird,” an eight-page poem in which the writer chooses between two women and reflects on war

C. “Ten Years of ‘The Idler,’” excerpts from a column of student observations that ran in The Lantern

D. “The Women of the University,” which lamented the lack of housing and spaces for “co-eds”

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Answer: B. “The Mocking-Bird.” That didn’t run until 1912.

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11. True or false? There are about 6 miles of tunnels under the Columbus campus.

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Answer: False. There are about 2 miles of tunnels.

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12. Match the public artwork to its maker:

1. David Black

2. Michele R. Gutlove

3. John Henry

4. Roy Lichtenstein ’46, ’49 MA, ’88 HON

5. Magdalena Abakanowicz

6. Barbara Grygutis

7. Bill and Mary Buchen

8. Gary Lee Price

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Answers: 

A. 4. “Modern Head,” Roy Lichtenstein ’46, ’49 MA, ’88 HON 

B. 3. “Borealis,” John Henry 

C. 1. “Breaker,” David Black 

D. 6. “Garden of Constants,” Barbara Grygutis 

E. 7. “Percussion Celebration,” Bill and Mary Buchen

F. 5. “Two Wings Flyer,” Magdalena Abakanowicz 

G. 8. “Amelia Earhart,” Gary Lee Price

H. 2. “Intertwined,” Michele R. Gutlove

Learn more, including where you can find these artworks on campus, at arts.osu.edu/public-art.

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13. The original entrance exams in the 1870s covered:

A. Reading, writing and ’rithmetic

B. Geography, grammar, arithmetic and algebra

C. The U.S. Constitution, anatomy, general math skills and Latin

D. U.S. history, English, public speaking and geometry 

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Answer: B. Geography, grammar, arithmetic and algebra

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14. True or false? The original university airport had to be moved so that Ohio Stadium could be built. So did the Olentangy River.

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Answer: True. The architect of the stadium was an alumnus—and grandfather of actress Beverly D’Angelo. Read more in this story celebrating its centennial.

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15. When students were originally choosing the university’s colors in 1878, they favored:

A. Scarlet and gray, of course

B. Black and orange

C. Blue and gold

D. Green and white

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Answer: B. Three seniors choosing ribbon colors to wrap around the first diplomas originally selected orange and black. The problem was, Princeton had already claimed those colors. So scarlet and gray became the winners.

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16. True or false? Associate Physics Professor Byron T. Darling was fired for refusing to answer questions from the Congressional Committee on Un-American Activities in 1953.

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Answer: True

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17. Which Brutus was never one of our official mascots?

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Answer: A, which was generated by AI

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18. Whose gravestone says, “And in the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love hears the rustle of a wing”?

A. Woody Hayes ’48 MA, ’86 HON 

B. William Oxley Thompson

C. Roy Lichtenstein ’46, ’49 MA, ’88 HON

D. None of the above

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Answer: A

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19. What were the first fraternity and sorority on campus?

A. Phi Gamma Delta and Kappa Kappa Gamma

B. Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha

C. Tau Epsilon Phi and Sigma Lambda Gamma

D. Phi Beta Kappa and Kappa Pi

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Answer: A

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20. How did Maudine Ormsby, a Holstein cow, end up being crowned homecoming queen in 1926?

A. She was a world-record setting milk producer, and that impressed the majority of the Ohio State student body.

B. She faced off against a goat and a chicken and was clearly the cutest.

C. The winning human stepped down because the election was rigged. Second-place Maudine, a mystery candidate entered by the College of Agriculture, thus became the winner, despite the fact she turned out to be bovine.

D. Most of the students who voted for Maudine didn’t know she was a cow. When she won the popular vote, university leaders disqualified her. But students enacted lighthearted Oval protests, convincing leaders to change their minds, and the cow was crowned. 

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Answer: C. The homecoming election was rigged—at least 2,000 more votes than students were submitted—so Rosalind Morrison Strapp ’27 refused to accept the crown. But the cow was a world-record holder, as noted in A., and people did vote for her not knowing she was a cow.

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21. Who never delivered a commencement speech at Ohio State?

A. Either George Bush who served as U.S. president

B. Tim Cook

C. Christopher Reeve

D. Buzz Aldrin

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Answer: D. But Neil Armstrong and Charles Bolden Jr. did. Click on either of their names to see their commencement speeches.

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22. True or false? Veterinary Medicine Professor Henry J. Detmers sued students after they stole a research frog in the 1890s. 

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Answer: False. He really sued over a stolen research pig.

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23. When did military training cease being compulsory for all able-bodied male freshmen and sophomores? 

A. 1921

B. 1954

C. 1961

D. 1973 

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Answer: C

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24. True or false? Dwight Eisenhower was the first sitting U.S. president to officially visit Ohio State.

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Answer: False. The first U.S. president to officially visit while in office was Richard Nixon.

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25. True or false? From 1933 to 1999, students lived in Ohio Stadium in the Stadium Scholarship Dormitory. 

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Answer: True. Learn more in our story about what dorm life was like in the ’Shoe. We’ll also note that The Stadium Scholarship Alumni Society is one of Ohio State’s most active.

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26. Which message has not been inscribed on a campus building?

A. Prize the doubt. Low kinds exist without.

B. The Cultured Mind, The Skillful Hand

C. Behold, the glory of man.

D. This is not a building.

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Answer: D. “This is not a building” is not inscribed on a campus building, but it is similar to the opening of a poem that has been posted inside University Hall. 

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27. Put these events in chronological order:

A. The first co-ed dorm opens.

B. The marching band performs the first Script Ohio.

C. Selective admissions begin.

D. Ohio State first plays Michigan in football.

E. Brutus Buckeye first shows up as mascot.

F. The Lantern first publishes.

G. BuckID is introduced.

H. The alumni association starts.

I. The Sundial humor magazine kicks off.

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Answers:

1. H. The alumni association starts (1879) 

2. F. The Lantern first publishes (1881) 

3. D. The first Michigan game (1897) 

4. I. The Sundial magazine kicks off (1911) 

5. B. The first Script Ohio (1936) 

6. E. The first Brutus (1965) 

7. A. Co-ed dorm—Morrill Tower (1966) 

8. C. Selective admissions begin (late 1980s) 

9. G. BuckID introduced (1994-95)

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28. Match the invention or discovery with the Buckeye scientist:

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29. Match the character to its Buckeye creator:

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30. Select all the productions that included Ohio State references: (For TV series, dates are full air dates, not dates of potential references.) 

• 2 Broke Girls, 2011–2017
• Barry, 2018-2023
• Because This Is My First Life, 2017 (South Korea)
• Curb Your Enthusiasm, 2000–2011, 2017, 2020–2024
• Draft Day, 2014
• Family Ties, 1982–1989
• Glee, 2009–2015
• Last Man Standing, 2011–2021
• M*A*S*H, 1972–1983
• Modern Family, 2009–2020
• NCIS, 2000–2013
• Sirens, 2025
• Tales of the Walking Dead, 2022
• The Cable Guy, 1996
• The Hills Have Eyes, 1977
• The Manchurian Candidate, 1962
• The Simpsons, 1989–ongoing
• The Sopranos, 1999–2007

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Answer: All the productions listed have Ohio State references. Take a point if you got more right than wrong—we’re grading on a curve.

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31. True or false? Ohio State’s “Big Ear” Radio Observatory Telescope—designed by famed Professor John D. Kraus and built on a university site in Delaware, Ohio—supported the world’s first-ever continuous search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

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Answer: True

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32. A bust of university President William Oxley Thompson stands just inside the Oval-side doors of the main library on campus. Students today believe what? 

A. On game day every year, dressing it up in Ohio State gear is supposed to guarantee a win against TTUN.

B. If you and your honey touch it at the same time and stare into each other’s eyes for a full minute without blinking, you’ll never separate. (As the story goes, Thompson would marry students on the Oval during his time here.) 

C. Tapping or rubbing its head is lucky. 

D. Tweaking its nose brings you bad luck.

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Answer: C. While people do say Thompson married couples on campus, the real superstition is tapping or rubbing the bust for good luck.

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33. True or false? A Boeing 707 accidentally landed at Ohio State University Airport in 1967, instead of Port Columbus. To take off again, all the passengers, baggage, seats and galley equipment had to be removed.

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Answer: True. Capt. Howard Chittendon, who flew combat missions in World War II and joined TWA in 1947, wisely decided not to try to abort the landing upon realizing he was at the wrong airport. He might have been able to avoid getting in trouble, but it’s also possible the plane wouldn’t have restarted correctly and would have crashed. Fifty-six people were aboard.

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34. How many times has Keanu Reeves (shown in picture) played a former Ohio State quarterback?

A. Never

B. Once

C. Twice

D. Thrice

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Answer: C. In “The Replacements” (2000) and “Point Break” (1991).

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35. Pick the musical artists who have played Ohio Stadium:

A. Pink Floyd

B. Billy Joel and Elton John

C. One Direction (pictured below)

D. A, B and no boy band ever

E. A, B, C and don’t forget Taylor Swift

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Answer: E. Pink Floyd, Billy Joel and Elton John, One Direction, and don’t forget Taylor Swift

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36. All of these famous musicians attended Ohio State and one had a job cleaning toilets at the Agora Ballroom, now the Newport. Which one?

A. Singer-songwriter Dwight Yoakam 

B. The Breeders’ Kim Deal

C. Twenty One Pilots’ Tyler Joseph

D. Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox

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Answer: B

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37. Who were the new residence halls on north campus, near Lane Avenue and High Street, all named after?

A. Ohio State’s early leaders

B. Ohio State trustees through the years

C. Alumni who won athletics championships

D. Alumni who served in the military

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Answer: D. You can read this Lantern story to learn more.

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38. Consider the longtime High Street favorite Buckeye Donuts. Which item isn’t really on its menu?

A. The Buckeye Donut

B. Traditional Gyro

C. Maple Bacon Long John

D. Blueberry jelly-filled doughnut

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Answer: All of the answers are on the menu. Take a point—again, it’s curve grading!

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39. Why is High Street so named? 

A. It was the “high ground” away from the Olentangy River, which had a history of flooding in early Columbus. 

B. In the days when Columbus was mostly farms, the area that would become High Street’s first section was such fertile ground for wild poppies, farmers had to raise special hogs to control them.

C. The most important families of the early city built homes along it.

D. One of the leading families of early Columbus was the Hightowers, but their full surname was deemed too long for the street name. (Track star Stephanie Hightower ’81 is a descendant.)

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Answer: A

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40. In 1998, John Glenn donated about 2,000 cubic feet of his family, military, NASA and Senate materials to Ohio State. Which was not among them?

A. A 1957 telegram from Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams that says, “Congratulations on record. I am big shot now telling everyone I flew with you in Korea.” 

B. The Friendship 7 spacecraft that Glenn rode in when he circled Earth three times in 1962

C. A round acrylic paperweight that says: RFK “Some men see things as they are and say, Why? I dream of things that never were and say, Why not?” 1968

D. John and Annie Glenn’s wedding photos

E. A T-shirt from Glenn’s Senate staff softball team that says “The Right Staff” and shows a cartoon astronaut holding an American flag above the dome of the U.S. Capitol building

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Answer: B. The spacecraft is at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. However, Ohio State has the 3-axis hand controller and the thruster that failed during the space flight. More on that telegram: Glenn and Williams flew combat missions in the same squadron during the Korean War, before Glenn set a record with the first supersonic transcontinental flight, which spurred Williams to send a congratulations.

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41. Match the Buckeye to their claim to fame:

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42. True or false? Werrett Wallace Charters, an education professor in the 1920s and ’30s, was involved in the creation of the motion picture rating system. 

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Answer: True

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43. Things that can be found on the Columbus campus include:

A. At least 30 gargoyles and grotesques, including one of a cow

B. Millions of dead bugs

C. A piece of the moon

D. Woody Hayes’ old leather couch

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Answer: All of the answers are true: In addition to Orton Hall’s 24 gargoyles, Starling-Loving has six common animals. The Museum of Biological Diversity has millions of preserved insects in its collections. The museum in Page Hall, home of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, has a piece of the moon, and Woody Hayes’ couch is at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Curve grading: Take a point.

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44. Who drew the Buckeye leaf on football players’ helmet stickers?

A. Roy Lichtenstein ’46, ’49 MA, ’88 HON

B. Milton Caniff ’30 

C. Richard Lewis ’69

D. Rex Kern ’71, ’73, ’83 PhD

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Answer: B

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45. Which athlete spoke to students at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs about civic engagement this spring?

A. Former Ohio State and pro football great Eddie George ’01

B. Four-time NBA champion LeBron James

C. Argentine professional footballer Lionel Messi

D. Bodybuilder, actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Answer: B. In the spring, four-time NBA champion LeBron James visited Public Affairs 5120, “Social Change Advocacy: Organization, Mobilization and Activism,” by Zoom. Trustees recently approved recognizing James with an honorary Doctorate of Public Service Degree for his good works in his hometown.

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46. True or false? Jack Nicklaus ’72 HON was a pre-med student in the two years he attended Ohio State before withdrawing to become a professional golfer.

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Answer: False. Following in his father’s footsteps, Jack Nicklaus was a pre-pharmacy major.

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47. Which team has the most national championships?

A. Artistic swimming, previously known as synchronized swimming

B. Football

C. Women’s ice hockey

D. Men’s fencing

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Answer: A

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48. What Ohio State connection doesn’t apply to ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit ’93?

A. He’s married to a former Ohio State artistic swimmer.

B. One of his sons played football for the Buckeyes.

C. His father, Jim ’61, was the co-captain of the 1960 football team.

D. He played quarterback for the Buckeyes, earning team MVP honors in his senior season. 

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Answer: A. Kirk Herbstreit’s wife, Allison Butler Herbstreit ’95, was an Ohio State cheerleader, not a swimmer.

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49. Which one of these players was not a starter for the 1960 Buckeyes, who won Ohio State’s only NCAA championship in men’s basketball?

A. Jerry Lucas ’62

B. Mel Nowell ’64

C. Bob Knight ’62

D. John Havlicek ’62

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Answer: C. Bob Knight ’62 was a key reserve player for the 1960 championship team.

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50. The Frisbee Dog World Championship has roots in the Oval, where a 1970s student would wow crowds with his dog, Ashley Whippet. Between the Oval and the championship, what did the duo do to gain attention?

A. They gave a high-flying performance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” where, in one spectacular landing, Ashley sent Carson’s desktop things flying.

B. They stormed the field at a Dodgers baseball game to show off their skills, and Alex Stein, the human (right), was arrested. 

C. They made a spoof video with Pat Benatar set to her song “You Better Run.”

D. They crashed auditions for “The Muppet Movie.” A photographer snapped a flying Kermit being snagged by a flying Ashley, but producers paid to bury the images.

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Answer: B. After they stormed the Dodgers’ field, Alex Stein was arrested and a random spectator took Ashley home for safekeeping.

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51. After Ohio State, basketball player Katie Smith ’08, ’14 MS went on to:

A. Win three gold medals at the Olympics

B. Win two WNBA championships

C. Become the first woman to score 5,000 points, then 6,000 points

D. Philosophical question: Can you really say “after Ohio State” when she’s back working as an assistant coach at Ohio State?

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Answer: All options are right. Take a point.

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52. What world record did Jesse Owens ’72 HON set during the 1935 Big Ten Conference Track and Field Championships?

A. Long jump 

B. 220-yard dash

C. 220-yard low hurdles 

D. 100-yard dash

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Answer: All the answers. Jesse Owens’ performance at the 1935 Big Ten Conference Track and Field Championships has been called the greatest 45 minutes in sports history. Curve grading: Take a point.

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53. Match the Heisman Trophy winner to their major:

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54. True or false? Five of the seven siblings of two-time Heisman winner Archie Griffin ’76 played college sports, including one brother who played football with Archie for both Ohio State and the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Answer: False. All seven of Archie’s siblings played college sports, including Raymond Griffin ’80, who played football with Archie for both Ohio State and the Cincinnati Bengals. All six of Archie’s brothers played college football, and his only sister ran college track.

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55. Name the Ohio State basketball coach who said: “If you’re a really good player on a team, you’re not just looking out for yourself, you’re looking around and helping your teammates.”

A. Phyllis Bailey

B. Gary Williams

C. Tara VanDerveer

D. Fred Taylor ’50

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Answer: A. Read more about her in this story.

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56. Which of these Ohio State basketball players went on to play for an NBA championship team:

A. Michael Redd ’15

B. Bill Hosket ’68

C. Evan Turner

D. Jim Jackson

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Answer: B. Bill Hosket ’68 won the championship with the New York Knicks in 1970.

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57. Which of these facts about Ohio State gymnast Blaine Wilson ’11 are true?

A. Competed in three Olympics

B. Earned All-America honors 10 times with the Buckeyes

C. Won six individual NCAA championships

D. Represented the U.S. in four World Championships

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Answer: All of the answers are true. Take a point.

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58. What alumni club is located farthest away from Columbus?

A. Chengdu Alumni Club of China

B. Indonesia Alumni Club

C. United Arab Emirates Alumni Club

D. India Alumni Club

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Answer: B. The alumni association has 121 geographic based clubs, many far closer to Columbus than these. Find a club on this webpage.

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59. Last school year, which state—besides Ohio—sent the most students to the university?

A. Illinois

B. New Jersey

C. New York

D. Pennsylvania

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Answer: C. New York sent the most students to Ohio State, then Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.

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60. There are 88 counties in Ohio. How many have Ohio State offices?

A. 65

B. 75

C. 85

D. All 88

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Answer: D

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61. Students on Ohio State’s campus represent how many of those counties?

A. All 88

B. 85

C. 75

D. 65

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Answer: A

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62. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (1), its emergency department (2) and doctors supported by Ohio State Physicians, Inc. (3) care for patients living in Columbus and beyond. Consider the patients seen by each of those divisions. Tell us, how many Ohio counties do they represent?

A. 54 (1), 10 (2), 12 (3)

B. 67 (1), 27 (2), 32 (3)

C. 73 (1), 44 (2), 61 (3)

D. 88 (1), 88 (2), 88 (3)

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Answer: You guessed it—D

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63. Thanks in part to scholarships, grants and other aid (79% of in-state undergrads received financial aid last year), how many undergraduate students graduate with zero debt?

A. 23%

B. 31%

C. 39%

D. 57%

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Answer: D. 57% of students graduate with zero debt. Nationally, that number is 39%.

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64. What’s the only mammal that can eat a bunch of Buckeyes and not get sick?

A. Deer

B. Beavers

C. Squirrels

D. Chipmunks

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Answer: C

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65. Where do Buckeyes grow best?

A. In well-drained, rich soil and partial shade, such as along riverbanks

B. On campus

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Answer: You don’t really need us to spell this one out, do you?

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Did you keep score?

See where the number of points you got land you among Buckeyes.

1-10: OK. You’ve got some studying to do, but you’re clearly good-hearted. We’re proud to have you among us and thirsting to know more.

11-25: Solid work. You’ve got the basics and some extras and can hold your head up in Buckeye Nation.

26-48: Pat yourself on the back. We threw some surprises at you and you deftly fielded so many of them.

49-64: You scored all A’s in your college classes, didn’t you? You’re an example for us all.

65: Seriously? No words. We bow down to you, oh ye of supreme Buckeye heart.

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We’d love to hear how you did! Tell us your score and your favorite—or most hated—question via the “Share Your Feedback” options below.

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Contributors

Many people’s expertise was tapped for this quiz. A thank you to those contributing multiple questions: University Archivist Tamar Chute, OSAM Editor Dave Ghose, Senior Writer Todd Jones and Bethany Duffy ’14, ’21 MA, director of engagement and marketing operations at the alumni association’s Engagement Center.

All photos are from Ohio State University except for the following, which came from Getty Images:

• Keanu Reeves
• Adrienne Hawkins Kennedy ’53, ’03 HON
• Jack Nicklaus ’72 HON
• Troy Smith ’06