We are down to 5 Saturdays until Ohio State plays Oregon State to start the 2018 season. Below you will find a list of the 30 players to wear No. 35 for the Buckeyes. 

Today's featured players are Jim Otis and Matt Wilhelm. Both were National Champions, All-Americans and All-Big Ten.

*Wore another number while playing at Ohio State
Did not earn a varsity letter while wearing No. 35

Jim Otis, FB (1967-69)
Born: 1948 (Celina, Ohio)
High School: Celina

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 24-4 with Otis on the team.
1968 National Champion.
1968 Big Ten Title.
1969 Big Ten Title.
1969 Defeated USC 27-16 in the Rose Bowl.
1968 Defeated No. 1 Purdue 13-0 at Ohio Stadium in Week 3.
Went 2-1 against That Team.

Honors
1969 Ohio State MVP
1969 All-American.
1969 All-Big Ten.
1996 Varsity O Hall of Fame.
2000 Named to the Ohio State All-Century Team.

Otis' senior bio per The Ohio State Team Guide:

6-0, 214...from Celina, Ohio...logged more playing time, 283 minutes, than any member of the squad last season...carried 219 times for 985 yards, a school record...scored 17 touchdowns, also an Ohio State mark...hits a hole as quickly as any Ohio State fullback in recent history...very strong through the shoulders...is a fine pass receiver, catching ten last year.

His father is a doctor...a pre-dental student at Ohio State...hobbies are hunting, fishing and boating...the only boy in a family of four...extremely durable and strong physically.

Scored at least one touchdown in nine of ten games last year, missing only in the Purdue contest...although he had a succession of fine games, his play was brilliant against Purdue, Iowa, Michigan and Southern California.

Otis' Ohio State career per ohiostatebuckeyes.com:

Jim Otis won All-America and all-Big Ten honors in 1969 when he became the school's first 1,000 yard rusher with 1,027 yards on 219 carries. He was also the team's MVP.

In 1968, Otis helped the Buckeyes to the Big Ten and National Championships with a 10-0 record. He finished his career with 2,542 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns-never losing a yard on 585 carries.

Otis' family history with Ohio State per Wikipedia:

Otis's father, Dr. James John Otis, had been the roommate and best friend of Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes when both men were members of the Sigma Chi fraternity of Denison University in the 1930s. To avoid any appearance of impropriety, Hayes broke off all social contact with the elder Otis during the son's college career. Dr. Otis lived and operated a medical practice in Celina, Ohio.

Otis's son James John Otis II was a star high school quarterback in the St. Louisarea. He was invited to Ohio State in 2001 as a preferred walk-on and lettered in 2003 for special teams play. Jim Otis's other son, Jeff Otis, has been under contract with five NFL teams and is currently a free agent.

Matt Wilhelm, LB (1999-2002)
Born: 1981 (Oberlin, Ohio)
High School: Elyria Catholic

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 35-15 with Wilhelm on the team.
2002 National Champion.
2002 Big Ten Title.
2003 Defeated Miami 31-24 (2OT) in the Fiesta Bowl National Championship Game.
Went 2-2 against That Team.

Honors
2002 All-American.
2002 All-Big Ten.
2002 Elyria Catholic High School retired Wilhelm's No. 34. 

Wilhelm's freshman bio per The Ohio State Team Guide:

Selected first-team Division IV all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior...recorded 100 tackles with 26 tackles-for-loss and 11 quarterback sacks as a senior for Elyria Catholic High...called a "super sleeper" by recruiting publications...excellent athlete who was recruited by virtually all the Big Ten schools...played tight end and running back at Elyria Catholic in addition to linebacker.

Wilhelm's Ohio State Career per Wikipedia:

Wilhelm attended Ohio State University, and played for coach John Cooper and coach Jim Tressel's Ohio State Buckeyes football teams from 1999 to 2002. Wilhelm was moved to middle linebacker before his sophomore season and started every game.

In his first game as a starter against Fresno State, Wilhelm intercepted a David Carr pass and ran it 25 yards for a touchdown. The following year, he earned the Randy Gradishar Award as the team's top linebacker and made all of the defensive calls.

As a senior in 2002, Wilhelm was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, and helped his team win a BCS National Championship with a team-leading 11 tackles in a 31–24 Fiesta Bowl victory over the Miami Hurricanes. Wilhelm ended the year with a career high 121 tackles and ended his career with the 6th most career tackles for loss for Ohio State all-time.

Why Wilhelm retired from the NFL per The Toledo Blade:

“Be­ing with my chil­dren through­out the lock­out was prob­a­bly the rea­son why I left,” said Wil­helm, a fourth-round draft pick by the San Diego Charg­ers in 2003. “I knew it would be dif­fi­cult for me to be away from them. I re­ally just made the de­ter­mi­na­tion of walk­ing away on top, win­ning a Su­per Bowl af­ter hav­ing a success­ful ca­reer.”

*Wore No. 8 when drafted.
*Wore No. 67 when drafted.

118 days until The Game.