College football helmet stickers: What do the Ohio State football helmet stickers mean?

Ohio State football helmet stickers are an iconic part of the Buckeyes uniform tradition. What do college football helmet stickers mean though?

Ohio State football games are usually a spectacle whether they’re playing at the Horseshoe or the Big House.

The colors and stripes on their jerseys are instantly recognizable. So are their helmets.

You can’t miss the stickers that climb up the back of the helmet, higher and higher as the season goes on. What are they and what are they for?

What are the stickers on Ohio State helmets?

The image on the stickers is actually a buckeye leaf. According to Eleven Warriors, the original stickers were designed in 1950 by Milton Caniff, a comic artist.

How do players earn Ohio State helmet stickers?

The stickers were originally awarded for big plays. Now there is more of a formula.

Each player gets a sticker for a win, two stickers for a win in conference and three stickers for a win over Michigan, per Eleven Warriors. Those add up throughout the season, assuming the Buckeyes are winning games.

They also get stickers for individual achievements, which is why some players have their helmets covered from front to back and others don’t.

Jim Tressell awarded stickers for unit performance. However, it’s not clear exactly how Ryan Day elects to dole out the stickers. All we know is they remain a distinct part of Ohio State’s identity.

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