What do the Ohio State football helmet stickers mean?

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a very notable tradition. Whenever Ohio State plays, it’s incredibly clear that Ohio State football players have small circular helmet stickers covering large portions of the back of the helmets around the stripes.

Ohio State fans are obviously well aware of the tradition in the football program that we've seen for more than five decades at this point in Columbus. At the same time, though, we're also talking about a program that we often see in the College Football Playoff or high-profile postseason matchups. So there are certainly plenty of fans watching the CFP who have to wonder what is up with these stickers.

Not only are unfamiliar college football fans asking what the Ohio State helmet stickers are but there are also questions of when the tradition started, what they mean, how players earn stickers — which answers why some players have more of the stickers than others — and what is even on the stickers. Don't worry, though, we're here to answer all your questions.

Why does Ohio State wear helmet stickers in football?

According to an ESPN article, Ohio State started the tradition in 1968. Ernie Biggs, a member of the Buckeyes training staff, thought of the idea as a way to help motivate players on Woody Hayes’ team. The stickers, small white circles with a buckeye leaf on them, were apparently originally designed in 1950, according to Eleven Warriors.

The stickers are rewarded for multiple reasons.

The easiest way for anyone to get a sticker is for Ohio State to win a game. Everyone gets a sticker that way. If the Buckeyes beat a Big Ten opponent, they get two stickers. A win over the Michigan Wolverines? That results in three stickers.

There are also various accomplishments that individuals and entire position groups can do to receive stickers as well. Of course, those are dependent upon the positions involved. According to ESPN, film studies were used in the past to help determine if a player met a specific grade to receive a sticker.

As the season wears on and players accomplish more and the team wins more, they get more stickers plastered on their helmets.

What are on Ohio State helmet stickers?

Now that we know what's on the stickers, there's another question that fans unfamiliar with the tradition might be asking: What is even on the stickers? Well that actually fits right in for Ohio State as the stickers feature buckeye leaves. Obviously, that is the mascot for the university and the football team but they put the real-life picture of the leaves that populate buckeye trees. Though, one could've made the argument that putting the dark brown buckeye nut themselves might've made sense as well.