Saturday marks No. 1 Ohio State’s final home game of the 2025 regular season. This means it’s senior day at Ohio Stadium.
Before the Buckeyes kick off against Rutgers, the Scarlet and Gray will honor members of their senior class, student managers and their families. As has been the tradition, Ohio State’s seniors will take the field after their teammates, with each player’s name called out individually so they can walk out and be recognized by the fans, hug head coach Ryan Day and have their picture taken with their framed jersey and family members.
According to the Buckeyes, 16 players will participate in senior day festivities. This includes:
DONATE TO ‘THE FOUNDATION’: Click here now to assist with Name, Image and Likeness compensation for Ohio State football and basketball student-athletes.
Ohio State won the national championship game in 2024, but the 2025 season is well underway! The Buckeyes are in the stretch run, looking for the program’s first repeat national championship. The basketball season begins this week. It’s the busiest time of year for Ohio State. Stay on top of the latest Buckeye news by BECOMING A BUCKNUTS SUBSCRIBER today!
Seven players from this group spent their entire careers with the Scarlet and Gray. They have contributed to 46 wins and counting. Thirteen of the 16 seniors were part of Ohio State’s national championship season last year.
This game will be the final regular-season game at Ohio Stadium for all of these players.
“Man, it means a lot to me,” Sonny Styles, who got to play with his brother, Lorenzo, for the last three years and will participate in senior day alongside him, said. “I think the past four years flew by. So just trying to take in each and every moment.”
Although 16 players will say their goodbyes to Buckeye Nation in person on Saturday, eight players listed as seniors on Ohio State’s roster will not participate in the festivities. These include center Carson Hinzman, defensive ends Beau Atkinson, C.J. Hicks and Kenyatta Jackson Jr., guard Tegra Tshabola, tight end Bennett Christian, safety Keenan Nelson Jr. and linebacker Ty Howard.
While some might assume this shows these players’ plans for next year, none have publicly announced their decisions for 2025.
“Still kind of waiting to see,” Hinzman said this week. “Obviously, there’s a lot of great talent that are gonna be going to the (NFL) this year in my position, so that’s something to take into consideration. But yeah, we’ll see.”
Due to recent changes in college football, senior day no longer signifies the end of the season for the Buckeyes. Besides their trip to Ann Arbor to face rival Michigan on Nov. 29, the Buckeyes are still in contention to play in the Big Ten Championship Game — something they haven’t done since 2020 — on the first Saturday in December.
“It’s great that we have a national championship, but we’re also a team that doesn’t have any Gold Pants (for beating Michigan),” Curry said on Wednesday. “We’re also a team that doesn’t have a Big Ten championship. So I feel like we definitely have things that we still need to get done, and I feel like I want to be somebody known, as our class, as somebody that’s done everything that they needed to get done here at Ohio State.”
Considering their achievements this season, the Scarlet and Gray are almost certain to make another appearance in the College Football Playoff. While nearly all of the seniors won a national championship last year, their goal is to finish on top once more.
“We want to go and we want to do it our own way,” Fielding said. “We had the guys last year, they were fantastic, great people, showed us how to do it. Now it’s our turn to go win it as seniors again.”
Follow Patrick Murphy on Twitter and Instagram for more Ohio State coverage
What’s next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you’re in the loop — take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now!
Day has often said that players shouldn’t wait until their final year or last games to feel emotion and reflect on their careers. The college football seasons go quickly, and players must cherish each time they get to put on that scarlet and gray uniform and take the field for Ohio State.
However, Saturday is one last chance for these players to play at Ohio Stadium, and they want to make sure it’s a game to remember.
“For the guys who are playing their last game in the Shoe, it’s a big deal,” Day said. “And we need to celebrate those guys by everybody in the Woody giving everything we have and playing for them. And I know they’re going to put everything they have into this game, because there’s a lot of great memories on that field, a lot of great memories in the Woody, spending time on the practice field, and all of those things. And when you get a chance to reflect, it just makes you realize how important finishing this season is the right way.”
