Buckeyes Now

Ohio State's Brutus Buckeye Recognized on National Mascot Day

Ahead of next season, Buckeye fans took a moment to recognize Brutus, their esteemed spirit leader, on National Mascot Day.

Matt Guzman

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While the rest of Ohio State Buckeyes fans sit awaiting the start of the 2023-24 college football season, a select few had reason to celebrate Saturday morning. 

It wasn't gameday, but rather a day celebrating another prominent tradition for Ohio State faithful — one with a familiar face.

The face — or rather the nut — in question is named Brutus Buckeye, the school's loyal mascot since 1965, being celebrated on National Mascot Day by fans across the country. 

Brutus has become a popular sight on Saturdays in Columbus, seen either on the field with the world-renowned marching band or around the college town getting fans excited for the game beforehand. 

But he wasn't always a staple of Ohio State. The university was founded in 1870, first welcoming students three years later before rebranding to "THE" Ohio State University that is known today. Students came and went from Columbus without ever thinking of mascot, until 1965, when a student-led effort saw Brutus' first iteration made of paper mâché on campus. 

"Because the paper-mâché Brutus was not durable for Ohio weather conditions, [students] voted to allocate $200 to support the creation of a fiberglass mascot," Ohio State's website writes. "The new model even sported different faces: a smile when the Buckeyes were driving down the field to victory and a frown for when the game wasn’t going so well." 

From then on, Brutus had a clear face, which only became more iconic as the year's passed, eventually becoming the modern-day Buckeye who can be found inside Ohio Stadium. 

Brutus took time to wish some of his mascot friends a happy Mascot Day, seen pictured with numerous other Big Ten mascots, including Michigan State's "Sparty", Wisconsin's "Bucky Badger" and Maryland's "Testudo."

As Brutus is recognized, fans have another chance to get excited about the upcoming football season, when they can join their other Buckeye faithful in kicking off another football season under coach Ryan Day, once again looking for a CFP title. 

Ohio State's 2023-24 campaign begins on the road on Saturday, Sept. 2 against the Indiana Hoosiers before coming back to Columbus for its first home game against Youngstown State, where Brutus will be in attendance.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a 19-year-old sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He is currently a sophomore at the University of Missouri pursuing a degree in journalism with a sports writing and reporting emphasis, along with a sports analytics certificate. He serves as a staff writer and reporter for the SI/FanNation network covering collegiate sports, pro football and pro basketball.

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