THE OHIO STATE FOOTBALL PROGRAM HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL WEAR THE ROAD VERSION OF ITS “HERITAGE STRIPES” THROWBACK UNIFORMS DURING THE CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST NOTRE DAME. THIS MARKS ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE STORIED LEGACY OF THESE ICONIC UNIFORMS, WHICH PAY TRIBUTE TO THE BUCKEYES’ RICH FOOTBALL HISTORY AND THEIR 1968 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.

INTRODUCED AS AN HOMAGE TO THE 1968 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, OHIO STATE FIRST DEBUTED THE THROWBACK UNIFORMS DURING THEIR HISTORIC RUN TO THE INAUGURAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. THE BUCKEYES WORE THE ROAD VERSION IN THEIR THRILLING 2015 SUGAR BOWL VICTORY OVER ALABAMA AND THE HOME VERSION IN THEIR DECISIVE WIN AGAINST OREGON IN THE TITLE GAME. SINCE THEN, THESE UNIFORMS HAVE BEEN A STAPLE IN OHIO STATE’S PLAYOFF APPEARANCES, ADDING A SENSE OF TRADITION AND NOSTALGIA TO THE MODERN GAME.

THE “HERITAGE STRIPES” UNIFORMS COMBINE OHIO STATE’S TRADITIONAL SILVER HELMETS WITH SCARLET OR WHITE JERSEYS FEATURING MODIFIED NORTHWESTERN STRIPES ON THE SLEEVES AND TRADITIONAL SILVER PANTS. THIS DESIGN STANDS IN CONTRAST TO THE BUCKEYES’ STANDARD UNIFORMS, WHERE THE STRIPES ON THE HELMETS, JERSEYS, AND PANTS ALL MATCH.

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THE “HERITAGE STRIPES” HAVE BEEN A DEFINING FEATURE OF OHIO STATE’S UNIFORMS DURING SEVERAL KEY ERAS, INCLUDING 1944-56, 1967-78, AND 1988-2005. THESE PERIODS NOTABLY INCLUDE THE BUCKEYES’ NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS IN 1954, 1968, 1970, AND 2002. HOWEVER, THE PROGRAM MOVED AWAY FROM THIS DESIGN IN 2006.

OHIO STATE HAS SINCE REINTRODUCED THE THROWBACK UNIFORMS FOR SELECT GAMES, ENSURING THEY REMAIN A CHERISHED PART OF THE PROGRAM’S VISUAL IDENTITY. NOTABLY, SUBTLE CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE UNIFORMS IN RECENT YEARS. IN 2020, THE BUCKEYES REPLACED THE BLOCK “O” ON THE COLLAR WITH THEIR CURRENT PRIMARY LOGO AND SWAPPED THE BLACK TV NUMBERS ON THE HOME VERSION FOR WHITE. THESE UPDATES INSPIRED THE PROGRAM TO ADOPT THE TERM “HERITAGE STRIPES,” SIGNIFYING THE DESIGN’S CONNECTION TO MULTIPLE ERAS RATHER THAN EXCLUSIVELY THE 1968 TEAM.

OHIO STATE’S DECISION TO WEAR THE “HERITAGE STRIPES” THROWBACK UNIFORMS IN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME UNDERSCORES THE DEEP CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PROGRAM’S HISTORY AND ITS PRESENT-DAY SUCCESS. THESE UNIFORMS, STEEPED IN TRADITION, SERVE AS A VISUAL REMINDER OF THE BUCKEYES’ LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE AND THEIR CONTINUED PURSUIT OF GREATNESS. AS THE BUCKEYES TAKE THE FIELD AGAINST NOTRE DAME, THEY’LL DO SO WEARING MORE THAN JUST A UNIFORM—THEY’LL BE CARRYING FORWARD A TRADITION THAT UNITES GENERATIONS OF PLAYERS AND FANS ALIKE.

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