In 25 days, the Buckeyes will play Oregon State to start the 2018 season opener against Oregon State. Below, you will find the 35 players who have worn the No. 25 since 1935.

Today's featured players are Esco Sarkkinen, Tony Curcillo, Todd Bell and Antonio Pittman. 

*Wore another number at Ohio State
Did not earn a varsity letter while wearing No. 25

Esco Sarkkinen, End (1937-39)
Born: 1918 (Conneaut, Ohio)
Died: 1998
High School: Fairport Harding

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 16-7-1 with Sarkkinen on the team.
1939 Big Ten Title.

Honors
1939 All-American.
1939 All-Big Ten.
1937 All-Big Ten.
1980 Inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Sarkkinen's Ohio State career per ohiostatebuckeyes.com:

In helping lead the 1939 Buckeyes to the Big Ten Championship, Esco Sarkkinen earned consensus All-America honors at end and also won the Big Ten Medal of Honor. After serving in the Coast Guard during World War II, "Sark" returned to Ohio State as an assistant football coach in 1946, serving in that capacity until 1978. Sarkkinen was widely recognized as one of the finest scouts in college football history. Because of his scouting responsibilities, Sark rarely, if ever, saw his beloved Buckeyes play.

Sarkkinen was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1940 NFL Draft.

After his playing days Sarkkinen became an assistant coach with Ohio State. Sarkkinen could be found on the Ohio State sidelines from 1946-1978. He coached with Paul Bixler, Wes Fesler and Woody Hayes.

With his massive amount of Ohio State knowledge a friend of his, William L. Harper, wrote a book called "An Ohio State Man: Coach Esco Sarkkinen Remembers OSU Football". I have not read the book, but I can only imagine the interesting stories and insights it would contain.

Tony Curcillo, QB (1950-52)
Born: 1931 (Long Branch, NJ)
High School: Elyria

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 16-9-2 with Curcillo on the team.

Honors
1952 All-Big Ten.

Curcillo's Ohio State career per Wikipedia:

Curcillo was the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in 1950 and 1951 and played linebacker, tailback, and center in 1952. Although recruited by Wes Fesler, he would become Woody Hayes' first starting quarterback at Ohio State when Hayes was hired in 1951. Curcillo's running back from during the 1950 and 1951 seasons was Vic Janowicz, the winner of the 1950 Heisman Trophy and Curcillo's former teammate at Elyria High School.

Curcillo was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the 6th round of the 1953 NFL Draft. He could not beat out fellow rookies Jim Root and Ray Nagel for playing time at quarterback, so Curcillo played the 1953 season at defensive back and halfback.

Todd Bell, CB (1977-80)
Born: 1958 (Middletown, Ohio)
Died: 2005 (46)
High School: Middletown

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 36-11-1 with Bell on the team.
1977 Big Ten Title.
1979 Big Ten Title.

Honors
1979 All-Big Ten linebacker.
1980 All-Big Ten cornerback.

Bell's senior bio per The Ohio State Team Guide:

6-1, 203...from Middletown, Ohio...started all 12 games in 1979 and played 308.5 minutes...scored two touchdowns on blocked kicks, including the winning score in the Michigan game...made a memorable play in the 1980 Rose Bowl Game, when he caught Charles White from behind and chopped the ball from him to prevent an apparent touchdown.

A first team all-Big Ten Player in 1979...one of the top defensive backs in college football.

Won three state championships in the long jump at Middletown High, including a record leap of 24' 6.75", breaking a mark set by Jesse Owens in 1933.

Bell's recruitment and Ohio State career per Wikipedia:

After graduating from Middletown High School, in Middletown, Ohio as a very highly recruited and standout ball player, Bell went on to play for the Ohio State University as a four-year starter at defensive back. He played as a roverback, a hybrid of the strong safety and linebacker positions.

His best remembered moment at Ohio State was a game-winning touchdown in his junior year against rival Michigan on November 17, 1979. When Ohio State linebacker Jim Laughlin blocked a punt by Michigan's Brian Virgil, Bell scooped up the football and ran it in 18 yards and a final score of 18-15. This play sent Ohio State to the 1980 Rose Bowl and a shot at that year's national championship.

Bell played in the NFL from 1981-1989 with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles. He made the Pro Bowl in 1984.

Unfortunately Mr. Bell died of a heart attack at the age of 46 in 2005. 

The Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male per Wikipedia:

In 1997 Bell returned to The Ohio State University to accept a position as Coordinator of the Minority Continuing Education Opportunities Program in the Office of Continuing Education, then lodged in University College. There he worked with Dean Mac Stewart to give leadership to outreach with the central Ohio community. He fostered cooperation with local businesses to provide funding for their employees to start or return to college studies at OSU.

He also worked with the personnel of local Boys & Girls Clubs to develop joint ventures to improve the environment of the neighborhoods near the central campus. In 2001 he moved to the Office of Minority Affairs where he coordinated a broad range of community-university programs.

Notably, on campus he gave initial leadership to the development of the Black Male Initiative to improve the campus environment, academic achievement, and leadership development of African American males at The Ohio State University and he was part of the team that developed the African American Male Resource Center.

When Bell died in 2005, the center was renamed to The Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male to honor his work at the university and with African American male students.

Antonio Pittman, RB (2004-06)
Born: 1985 (Akron)
High School: Akron Buchtel

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 30-7 with Pittman on the team.
2005 Big Ten Title.
2006 Big Ten Title.
2004 Defeated Oklahoma State 33-7 to win the Alamo Bowl.
2006 Defeated Notre Dame 34-20 to win the Fiesta Bowl.
Went 3-0 against That Team.

Honors
2006 All-Big Ten.

Pittman's senior bio per The Ohio State Team Guide:

5-11, 195...from Akron, Ohio...Returning starter at tailback...is a strong runner with the ability to make the first defender miss and the speed to go the distance...hits the hole quickly and is a tough, physical runner who fights for extra yardage.

Certainly acquitted himself very favorably last year, recording seven 100-yard games and scoring the game-clinching touchdown against both Michigan and Notre Dame.

Ran for 1,300 yards as a senior and won All-Ohio honors even though he missed three games with a turf toe injury---an injury that plagued him all season long---averaged more than 12 yards per carry and scored 17 touchdowns despite the injury.

Antonio Pitmman came to Ohio State via Akron, Ohio. His first playing time came against Miami University in 2004. Antonio rushed for 100 yards on 14 carries against the Red Hawks, but only gained 281 more yards the rest of his freshman season. 

Pittman finished his career with 2,945 yards rushing (9th all-time at Ohio State) and 22 touchdowns during his three year stay with the Buckeyes.

He led the team in rushing in 2005 and 2006. In 2005 he amassed 1,331 yards (5.1 ypc) and seven touchdowns. In '06 he led the team with 1,233 yards (5.1 ypc) and 14 touchdowns. Pittman was also named All-Big Ten at the conclusion of the 2006 season.

 *Wore No. 34 when drafted
#Wore No. 1 when drafted.

108 days until The Game.