What do Ohio State players get if they beat Michigan?

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

If Ohio State beats Michigan, the players receive a gold charm of football pants. The tradition dates to the 1934 season. At the time, Michigan was dominating the rivalry, and the new OSU coach, Francis Schmidt, sought to ease concerns from players and fans. In speaking about Michigan, he said, “They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.” Ohio State went on to win that year’s game, 34–0. A local businessman had heard the comment, and he created the charms. They are engraved with the player’s initials, date, and score of the game.