After early attempts at forming a team in 1886 (led by future Nebraska governor Chester Hardy Aldrich) and 1887, football was ultimately established at the university in 1890.

More recent research has challenged that claim, stating that George Cole did not persuade Lilley to coach the football team until after its first full season began that fall.

Jack Ryder was Ohio State's first paid coach, earning $150 per season, and lost his first game, against Oberlin College and John Heisman, on October 15, 1892.

Brown immediately changed Ohio State's style of offense, planned and organized his program in great detail, and delegated to his assistant coaches using highly structured practices.

In 1950, Fesler, rumored to be resigning because of pressures associated with the position and abuse of his family by anonymous critics, returned to coach the Buckeyes, who won six games in a row to move into the top ranking in the AP poll.

Ohio State passed only three times against Michigan (the sole reception was the only completion in the final three games of the year), leading to the characterization of Hayes' style of offensive play as "three yards and a cloud of dust".

In 1968, Ohio State defeated the number one-ranked Purdue Boilermakers and continued to an undefeated season including a 50–14 rout of Michigan and a Rose Bowl victory over the USC Trojans that resulted in the national championship.

The 1969 loss to Michigan initiated what came to be known as "The Ten Year War", in which the rivalry, which pitted some of OSU's and UM's strongest teams ever, rose to the uppermost level of all sports and the competition between Schembechler and Hayes became legendary.

The "super sophomores" had garnered a record of 27–2, the best winning percentage of any three-year period in team history, and won or shared the Big Ten title all three years.

Archie Griffin began his college football career in 1972, taking advantage of new NCAA eligibility rules that allowed freshmen to compete at the varsity level.

Despite soundly defeating defending national champion USC, however, the tie with Michigan resulted in the Buckeyes finishing second to Notre Dame in the final AP rankings.

In all, the Buckeyes were 40–5–1 from 1972 to 1975, winning the Big Ten all four years and never losing to Michigan, but it was the losses and ties that proved important to Ohio State missing out on achieving a national championship.

[27] Bruce inherited a strong team led by sophomore quarterback Art Schlichter but that had also lost 11 starters, and the 1979 squad exceeded pre-season expectations, ending the 3-year loss drought against Michigan and going to the Rose Bowl with an opportunity once again to be national champions.

All-Americans and future National Football League stars included Keith Byars, Cris Carter, Chris Spielman, John Frank, Jim Lachey, Tom Tupa, Marcus Marek, and Pepper Johnson.

His program was also known for the number of notable assistant coaches on staff, including Jim Tressel, Glen Mason, Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Dom Capers.

Sophomore running back Keith Byars had a stand-out season in 1983, rushing for 1,199 yards, and Ohio State defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, but three losses in conference meant a 4th-place finish.

1984 witnessed what Bruce called "the greatest comeback after the worst start" when Ohio State fell behind Illinois 24–0 at home but roared back on 274 yards rushing and five touchdowns by Byars to win 45–38.

After the season Bruce was offered the position of head coach at the University of Arizona with a 5-year contract but was persuaded to stay at his alma mater by Athletic Director Rick Bay.

On the Monday of Michigan week, after a weekend of rumors and speculation, Ohio State President Edward Jennings fired Bruce but tried to keep the dismissal secret until after the end of the season.

[30] The Buckeyes enjoyed an emotional come-from-behind victory over Michigan in Ann Arbor after the entire team wore headbands bearing the word "EARLE", then declined an invitation to play in the Sun Bowl.

After renewing his contract and becoming a member of the "million dollar coaching club",[35] Cooper started sophomore Austin Moherman against the Miami Hurricanes in the nationally televised Kickoff Classic and was soundly beaten.

[38] With four NCAA Division I-AA National Championships at Youngstown State University, Tressel, formerly an assistant coach for Earle Bruce, was an Ohioan who was considered to be appreciative of Buckeye football traditions.

[40][41] Ohio State used strong defense, ball-control play-calling, and field position tactics to win numerous close games, a style of play characterized as "Tresselball",[42] and disparaged by detractors as "the Luckeyes".

Mike Adams, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Solomon Thomas, and quarterback Terrelle Pryor were found to have signed autographs in return for tattoos, as well as selling memorabilia given to them by the university.

On March 8, 2011, OSU suspended head coach Jim Tressel for the first 2 games of the 2011 season and fined him $250,000 for not informing the university and the NCAA that he had knowledge of his players receiving improper benefits.

Downing, Louis Irizarry, Chris Vance, C. J. Barnett, Dorien Bell, Jamaal Berry, Bo DeLande, Zach Domicone, Storm Klein, Etienne Sabino, John Simon, Nathan Williams, Jermale Hines, Devon Torrence, Donald Washington, Thaddeus Gibson, Jermil Martin, Lamaar Thomas, and Doug Worthington traded team memorabilia or used equipment for tattoos or other merchandise or services between 2002 and 2010.

The 2016 season started off great with 6 straight victories, including a win over the Oklahoma Sooners, but the streak came to an end as the team lost a heart-breaker to the Penn State Nittany Lions.

[59] Kicker Noah Ruggles' would-be game-winning field goal attempt sailed wide left just as the clock struck midnight on New Year's Day, 2023.

1930: Wes Fesler – (E) – Big Ten MVP 1931: Robert Haubrich – (OT) 1932: Lew Hinchman – (HB) 1933: Mickey Vuchinich – (FB) 1934: Gomer Jones – (C) 1935: Gomer Jones – (C) 1936: Ralph Wolf – (C) 1937: Ralph Wolf – (C) 1938: Jim Langhurst – (FB) 1939: Steve Andrako – (C) 1940: Don Scott – (QB) 1941: Jack Graf – (FB) – Big Ten MVP 1942: Chuck Csuri – (OT) 1943: Gordon Appleby – (C) 1944: Les Horvath – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 1945: Ollie Cline – (FB) – Big Ten MVP 1946: Cecil Souders – (E) 1947: Dave Templeton – (G) 1948: Joe Whisler – (FB) 1949: Jack Lininger – (C) 1950: Vic Janowicz – (HB) – Big Ten MVP 1951: Vic Janowicz – (HB) 1952: Fred Bruney – (HB) 1953: George Jacoby – (T) 1954: Howard Cassady – (HB) 1955: Howard Cassady – (HB) – Big Ten MVP 1956: Jim Parker – (G) 1957: Bill Jobko – (G) 1958: Jim Houston – (E) 1959: Jim Houston – (E) 1960: Tom Matte – (QB) 1961: Bob Ferguson – (FB) 1962: Billy Armstrong – (C) 1963: Matt Snell – (FB) 1964: Ed Orazen – (DL) 1965: Doug Van Horn – (OG) 1966: Ray Pryor – (C) 1967: Dirk Worden – (LB) 1968: Mark Stier – (LB) 1969: Jim Otis – (FB) 1970: Jim Stillwagon – (DL) 1971: Tom DeLeone – (C) 1972: George Hasenohrl – (DL) 1973: Archie Griffin – (RB) – Big Ten MVP 1974: Archie Griffin – (RB) – Big Ten MVP 1975: Cornelius Greene – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 1976: Bob Brudzinski – (DE) 1977: Dave Adkins – (LB) 1978: Tom Cousineau – (LB) 1979: Jim Laughlin – (LB) 1980: Calvin Murray – (TB) 1981: Art Schlichter – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 1982: Tim Spencer – (RB) 1983: John Frank – (TE) 1984: Keith Byars – (RB) – Big Ten MVP 1985: Jim Karsatos – (QB) 1986: Cris Carter – (WR) 1987: Chris Spielman – (LB) 1988: Jeff Uhlenhake – (C) 1989: Derek Isaman – (LB) 1990: Jeff Graham – (WR) 1991: Carlos Snow – (TB) 1992: Kirk Herbstreit – (QB) 1993: Raymont Harris – (TB) 1994: Korey Stringer – (OT) 1995: Eddie George – (TB) – Big Ten MVP 1996: Orlando Pace – (OT) – Big Ten MVP 1997: Antoine Winfield – (DB) 1998: Joe Germaine – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 1999: Ahmed Plummer – (DB) 2000: Derek Combs – (TB) 2001: Jonathan Wells – (TB) 2002: Craig Krenzel – (QB) / Chris Gamble – (WR/DB) 2003: Michael Jenkins – (WR) 2004: Mike Nugent – (PK) 2005: A. J. Hawk – (LB) 2006: Troy Smith – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 2007: Chris Wells – (TB) 2008: Chris Wells – (TB) 2009: Kurt Coleman – (SS) 2010: Dane Sanzenbacher – (WR) 2011: Daniel Herron – (TB) 2012: Braxton Miller – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 2013: Braxton Miller – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 2014: Evan Spencer – (WR) 2015: Ezekiel Elliott – (RB) – Big Ten MVP 2016: Malik Hooker – (SAF) / Pat Elflein – (C) 2017: Sam Hubbard – (DE) 2018: Dwayne Haskins – (QB) 2019: Justin Fields – (QB) / Chase Young – (DE) – Big Ten MVP 2020: Justin Fields – (QB) – Big Ten MVP 2021: C. J. Stroud – (QB) 2022: C. J. Stroud – (QB) 2023: Marvin Harrison Jr - (WR) – Big Ten MVP 1952: John Borton (QB) 1954: Dick Hilnski (T) 1958: Bob White (FB) 1961: Tom Perdue (End) 1965: Bill Ridder (MG) 1966: Dave Foley (OT) 1967: Dave Foley (OT) 1968: Dave Foley (OT) 1969: Bill Urbanik (DT) 1971: Rick Simon (OT) 1973: Randy Gradishar (LB) 1974: Brian Baschnagel (RB) 1975: Brian Baschnagel (RB) 1976: Pete Johnson# (FB) and Bill Lukens# (OG) 1977: Jeff Logan (RB) 1980: Marcus Marek (LB) 1982: Joe Smith# (OT) and John Frank# (TE) 1983: John Frank (TE) and Dave Crecelius (DT) 1984: Dave Crecelius# (DT), Mike Lanese# (WR), and Anthony Tiuliani (DT) 1985: Mike Lanese (WR) 1987: Joe Staysniak (OT) 1989: Joe Staysniak (OT) 1990: Greg Smith (DL) 1992: Len Hartman# (OG) and Greg Smith# (DL) 1995: Greg Bellisari (LB) 1996: Greg Bellisari (LB) 1998: Jerry Rudzinski (LB) 1999: Ahmed Plummer (CB) 2002: Craig Krenzel (QB) 2003: Craig Krenzel (QB) 2006: Anthony Gonzalez# (WR) and Stan White, Jr.# (FB) 2007: Brian Robiskie (WR) 2008: Brian Robiskie (WR) 2014: Jacoby Boren (C) 2015: Jacoby Boren# (C) and Jack Willoughby# (K) 2016: Sam Hubbard (DL) 2017: Jordan Fuller (SAF) 2018: Jordan Fuller (SAF) 2019: Jordan Fuller (SAF) 2024: Donovan Jackson# (OG/OT), Quinshon Judkins (RB) and Seth McLaughlin# (C)

[88] In 2011, a study conducted by Nate Silver of the New York Times, which he described as "not quite scientific," determined that Ohio State had the most fans of any college football team.