Ohio State Football Players Lead Marching Band
The football team hosted the marching band at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center this week.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Basketball
Ohio State football players took the reins of the school marching band during a visit to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. The event allowed team members to experience the traditions behind one of the university's most iconic ensembles.
Why it matters
The program shifted this tradition from the intense preparation period of Michigan rivalry week to the bye week. This adjustment helps the players maintain a more ordinary routine leading up to high-stakes matchups.
Multiple players participated in the musical showcase, including Jeremiah Smith, Jamir Perez, and Earl Little Jr. serving as conductors while others like Devin Sanchez and Riley Pettijohn managed percussion duties.
The players
Ohio State Marching Band
Known as The Best Damn Band in the Land, this ensemble is a central component of Ohio State University athletics culture.
Twenty One Pilots
This is a popular American musical duo from Columbus that headlined the event at Ohio Stadium.
The details
During the session, the athletes participated in a performance of Buckeye Swag, with James Smith given the honor of dotting the 'i' in the famous Script Ohio formation. The visit featured various football players playing instruments and performing alongside Legend Bey, who served as the drum major.
Timeline
Wednesday: The Ohio State Marching Band visited the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Saturday: The band performed at a Twenty One Pilots concert at Ohio Stadium.
Season Trajectory
This event marks a departure from the traditional Michigan rivalry week band visit. By relocating this engagement to the bye week, the program prioritizes maintaining an ordinary training rhythm during the most demanding stretch of the season.
The shift of this tradition to the bye week suggests the coaching staff is focused on reducing non-football distractions during the week leading up to the annual Michigan contest. Fans looking to follow player extracurriculars can expect these band interactions to remain a permanent feature of bye-week programming.
The takeaway
The integration of football players into the marching band highlights the close-knit nature of university athletic departments. Implementing such traditions during off-weeks helps balance team morale with the pressures of a competitive conference schedule.
Further reading
For more on campus athletic traditions, visit the Columbus Basketball section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Eleven Warriors.
