If Ohio State beats Michigan, the players receive a gold charm of football pants. The tradition dates to the 1934 season. At the time, Michigan was dominating the rivalry, and the new OSU coach, Francis Schmidt, sought to ease concerns from players and fans. In speaking about Michigan, he said, “They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.” Ohio State went on to win that year’s game, 34–0. A local businessman had heard the comment, and he created the charms. They are engraved with the player’s initials, date, and score of the game.
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