Walk into the Horseshoe on a Saturday in November and you’ll feel it. That weird, vibrating energy of 100,000 people screaming themselves hoarse. But look down at the sidelines. You aren't looking at a fierce predator or a stoic warrior. You’re looking at a guy with a giant nut for a head. It’s Brutus. He’s the Ohio State Buckeye mascot, and honestly, he shouldn't work. On paper, a poisonous nut from a tree is a terrible choice for a sports icon. Yet, he’s one of the most recognizable faces in the history of college athletics.
He didn't start out as this polished, fiberglass celebrity we see today. Not even close. Back in 1965, the whole idea was just a "let's see if this sticks" project by two students, Ray Bourhis and Sally Huber. They thought the school needed a mascot. Before then, Ohio State was one of the few big schools without a physical character roaming the sidelines. Can you imagine? Decades of football with no giant head to high-five.
The Weird, Papier-Mâché Origins of the Ohio State Buckeye Mascot
The first Brutus was a total DIY nightmare. It was basically a giant papier-mâché shell that Bourhis and Huber lugged around. It weighed a ton. It smelled like paste. It was awkward. But when they debuted it at the game against Minnesota on October 30, 1965, the fans lost their minds. They loved him. He was goofy, he was homegrown, and he was ours.
Shortly after that debut, the "Block O" student organization held a contest to name him. "Brutus" won out, beating out other suggestions that have mostly been lost to the bins of history. But that original shell didn't last long. If you’ve ever tried to keep papier-mâché in the Ohio rain, you know what happened. It fell apart. Within a few months, they had to move to fiberglass. That’s when the "egg shape" really took hold. If you look at photos from the late 60s, Brutus looks a bit more like a giant brown egg than the somewhat flattened nut he is now.
The evolution of the Ohio State Buckeye mascot is actually a lesson in branding by accident. He didn't have a uniform for a long time. He just wore the head. It wasn't until later that the iconic striped shirt and red pants became the standard "look." It’s a simple outfit. You've got the scarlet and gray stripes, the white pants (sometimes), and those sensible sneakers. It's blue-collar. It's Ohio.
Why the Buckeye Actually Matters (Scientifically and Culturally)
Let’s talk about the nut itself for a second. The Aesculus glabra. It’s a real thing. Native Americans called it "hetuck," which means "eye of a buck" because of the way the dark nut looks inside its light-colored husk. People in Ohio have been carrying them in their pockets for good luck for generations. It’s a superstition that runs deep in the Midwest.
But here’s the thing: you can’t eat them. They are toxic.
There’s something poetic about that. Ohio State’s mascot is a poisonous nut that brings good luck to those who carry it but kills anything that tries to swallow it. It’s a perfect metaphor for Big Ten football.
One of the most famous moments in mascot history happened in 2010. It wasn't even during a game. It was a practice. A kicker named Erik Folk from the University of Washington (they were playing the Buckeyes later that week) was practicing field goals. Brutus was standing there, minding his own business, and an Ohio University student—who was dressed as "Rufus the Bobcat"—came out of nowhere and tackled him.
It was a total cheap shot.
The guy had actually planned it. He’d joined the mascot team at OU specifically to tackle Brutus. It became a national news story. Why? Because you don’t touch the nut. It showed just how protective people are of this character. Brutus represents more than just a guy in a suit; he’s the living embodiment of a massive, multi-generational community.
Being the Nut: The Life of a Mascot
You can't just put on the head and walk out there. It’s a grueling process to become the Ohio State Buckeye mascot. The tryouts are legendary for being intense. You have to be an Ohio State student, obviously, but you also have to have insane stamina.
Think about it.
You’re wearing a heavy fiberglass head. It’s hot. You’re doing push-ups every time the team scores. If the Buckeyes put up 50 points, you’re doing hundreds of push-ups by the end of the fourth quarter. It’s a workout. The students who play Brutus are athletes in their own right, even if we never see their faces. They have to follow strict rules. Rule number one? Never speak. Once that head goes on, you are Brutus. You communicate through gestures, through the "O-H-I-O" arm movements, and through that signature head shake.
There is a specific "walk" too. Brutus doesn't just stroll. He has this bouncy, energetic stride that's been passed down from student to student for decades. If a "new" Brutus walks like a normal person, the alumni mascots will notice. There’s a whole fraternity of former Brutuses who keep the tradition alive. They take it seriously. It’s a bond that lasts a lifetime.
The Mascot that Survived Everything
In the 1970s, there was actually a brief, terrifying moment where the university thought about changing him. They wanted something "tougher." They thought a nut wasn't intimidating enough for the powerhouse program Woody Hayes was building.
The fans revolted.
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They didn't want a wolf or a bear or some generic tough guy. They wanted their nut. That loyalty is why Brutus is still here. He survived the 70s, he survived the tackle from Rufus the Bobcat, and he’s survived the transition into the digital age where every move he makes is on TikTok or Instagram.
He’s also one of the few mascots to be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame (yes, that’s a real thing in Whiting, Indiana). He got in during the 2007 class. It’s a prestigious group. To get in, you have to have a massive impact on your community and the sport. Brutus has that in spades. He’s appeared in "This is SportsCenter" commercials, he’s been on the cover of magazines, and he’s probably in about ten million family photos sitting on mantels across the state of Ohio.
The Geography of the Buckeye
If you’re traveling through Ohio, you’ll see the influence everywhere. It’s not just the Ohio State Buckeye mascot at the games. It’s the buckeye candy—peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate to look like the nut. It’s the license plates. It’s the trees themselves, which the state designated as the official state tree in 1953.
But for the fans, Brutus is the focal point. He’s the guy who leads the band during the "Skull Session" at St. John Arena. He’s the one who dots the ‘i’ in the Script Ohio formation (occasionally, though that’s usually reserved for the sousaphone players). He is the bridge between the academic side of the university and the raw, unbridled chaos of Saturday afternoon football.
How to Experience Brutus Properly
If you actually want to see the Ohio State Buckeye mascot in his natural habitat, you don't just go to the game. You go to the Skull Session. It happens a few hours before kickoff. The band plays, the coaches speak, and Brutus is there, amping up the crowd. It’s free. It’s loud. It’s the best way to see him up close without paying hundreds of dollars for a ticket on the 50-yard line.
Another pro tip? If you see him on campus, don't ask him to talk. He won't. Just put your arms up in an 'O' and he’ll give you the 'H'. It’s a silent contract between the mascot and the fans.
The reality is that Brutus shouldn't be as popular as he is. He’s a non-humanoid, non-animal character based on a seed. Most schools that try that end up with something creepy or forgettable. But Ohio State leaned into the weirdness. They made the buckeye synonymous with toughness and luck.
Actionable Ways to Connect with the Tradition
For those looking to dive deeper into the world of the Buckeyes, there are a few things you should actually do. First, visit the Ohio State University archives if you’re ever on campus. They have photos of the original papier-mâché Brutus, and it is a sight to behold. It looks like a prop from a 1960s sci-fi movie.
Second, get yourself some actual buckeye nuts (the real ones, not the candy) but remember the rule: keep them in your pocket, don't eat them. If you’re a gardener, try planting an Aesculus glabra. They’re hardy trees, though they do get "leaf blotch" in the late summer which makes them look a little scorched.
Finally, if you're ever at a game, watch Brutus during the timeouts. While everyone else is looking at their phones or getting a hot dog, watch the way he interacts with the kids. That’s where the real magic is. He’s a giant, silent, friendly nut that somehow makes a massive university feel like a small town.
That is the true power of the Ohio State Buckeye mascot. He turns a massive institution into a family. He’s goofy, he’s weird, and he’s exactly what Ohio needs.
If you want to support the program, you can actually donate to the Brutus Buckeye Scholarship Fund. It helps the students who dedicate their lives to being the nut. It’s a lot of work for no glory, since nobody knows who they are until they graduate. Supporting them is the best way to ensure the tradition stays alive for another sixty years.