COLUMBUS – Fans will have to look closely to spot the changes in the design of the new football field being installed at Ohio Stadium this summer.
Ohio State asked for suggestions for the new look of the field that will be constructed inside the venerable Horseshoe in June and July and received more than 1,300 designs, Department of Athletics spokesman Jerry Emig said.
Rather than make drastic changes to the gridiron at the 100-year-old stadium, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, university officials opted for “tweaking” the Buckeyes’ home playing surface, Emig said.
Of the designs that were sent in, the largest number favored changes to the Block O at midfield, incorporating Buckeye leaves into on-field markings, and scarlet end zones – which were favored 46%- 21% over gray ones.
The new design, as determined by an Athletics Department panel, includes the following changes:
- Block O at midfield has been emphasized with the outer stroke color adjusted to gray
- Buckeye leaf decals replace the two X’s at the 35-yard-line kickoff locations
- OHIO STATE and BUCKEYES in the two scarlet end zones
- Outer boundaries of play have been color adjusted to gray
- Yard line numbering matches the block type font on the players’ uniforms
- Black/white/scarlet striping pattern, found on Buckeye helmets, in each end zone
-Source: OSU Dept. of Athletics
Fans will see the new turf first on Sept. 3, when Ohio State kicks off its 133rd football season by hosting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.