Ohio State’s 2024 football team has officially cemented its place in program history, with its biggest stars now immortalized inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
As quarterback Will Howard walked through the facility last year, he was surrounded by images of past Buckeye greats—C.J. Stroud, Archie Griffin, and other legends who left their mark on the program. Now, just a year later, Howard finds himself among them, with his own image hanging on banners that celebrate Ohio State’s national championship season.
Howard, who transferred to Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season, reflected on the moment while back in Columbus for OSU’s pro day. Looking around, he saw the photos commemorating their Cotton Bowl victory against Texas and the Rose Bowl triumph, where he famously celebrated with a rose clenched between his teeth. “It’s surreal,” Howard admitted. “It’s cool. It’s what we worked for. We talked about (wanting) to be remembered.”
The Buckeyes’ journey to the title wasn’t an easy one, and few players experienced the highs and lows of Ohio State football more than defensive end Jack Sawyer. A homegrown talent, Sawyer was one of the first players to commit to head coach Ryan Day and developed into an elite NFL prospect. However, his career wasn’t without challenges—most notably, an 0-4 record against Michigan before finally reaching the mountaintop in 2024.
Sawyer’s defining moment came in the Cotton Bowl against Texas, where his scoop-and-score touchdown became the signature play of Ohio State’s championship run. That moment is now captured on one of the banners inside the facility, ensuring his contribution to the program will never be forgotten. “It’s a dream come true,” Sawyer said. “It’s been a long four years here. The ups and downs—I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. Being able to come back now and see that we left something here, it feels good.”
As Ohio State prepares for a new season, the program is already looking ahead to the future. A total of 17 players participated in pro day, a clear indication of just how much talent the Buckeyes are losing from their title-winning squad. With that many departures, leadership responsibilities now fall to the 2025 team, including defensive end Caden Curry, who has expressed a desire to remove some of the championship memorabilia from the facility. The reasoning? To prevent complacency from creeping in as the Buckeyes embark on a new season.
While the logic behind Curry’s suggestion makes sense, not everyone from the previous class agrees with the idea. Offensive lineman Donovan Jackson made his stance clear when asked about potentially taking down the banners. “Screw that,” Jackson said. “Leave it up.”
The debate over how to balance celebrating the past while maintaining focus on the future is an ongoing one, but one thing is certain—Ohio State’s 2024 team will forever be a part of Buckeye history.
