Time and Change is a weekly series highlighting the history of some of Ohio State's storied traditions.
THEN
“Buckeye” has been a long-standing nickname for Ohioans dating back as early as the late 1700’s, but when it came time to decide on the mascot representing The Ohio State University, many questioned if the Buckeye was the right fit.
Many universities used live animals as their mascot and in 1930, the student government debated if the Buckeye was aggressive or fierce enough to keep up with this trend. In October 1965, students Ray Bourhis and Sally Huber suggested the Buckeye as the university’s mascot in lieu of a live buck.