“O” – “H” – “I” – “O”

“O” – “H” – “I” – “O”

“O” – “H” – “I” – “O”

The cheer circles around the Schottenstein Center and The Horseshoe during every home Ohio State athletic event. As I listened to the student section during last night’s game against Wisconsin, I couldn’t help but think of how great a tradition “The Ohio Chant” truly is.

I then began to think about the rest of the great traditions surrounding Ohio State athletics, and proceeded to compile the following list: The Top 5 Ohio State Athletic Traditions.

1. Block-O: Overlooking the opposing team’s end zone, “Block-O” is the section of the stadium reserved for Ohio State students only. The section was created in 1938, and has grown to become the largest student organization on Ohio State’s campus (not to mention one of the rowdiest).
2. The Victory Bell: Residing in the southeast tower of The Horseshoe, the bell is rung following every Buckeye victory. Given as a gift from the classes of 1943-1945, the bell can be heard (on a calm day) from up to five miles away.
3. Carmen Ohio: Composed by freshman Fred Cornell following an 86-0 loss to The State Up North (M*ch*gan), Carmen Ohio is the oldest song still used by the university. After every home game the Ohio State Marching Band leads the team and fans in the singing of the first verse.
4. Script Ohio: Before every home game, The Best Damn Band in the Land spells out “Ohio” in what is considered one of the best pregame performances in all of sports. Usually, the ceremonial “Dotting of the I” is done by the drum major. However, many famous Buckeye alums have been given the honor.
5. The Game: Finally, we come to my favorite Buckeye tradition: the Michigan game. “The Game” is played at the end of every season, and any true Buckeye will tell you it’s the most important game of the season. Ohio State-Michigan is one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, so what better way to end the season than with a victory against The State Up North?