When Ohio State first unveiled its “Land of the Wolves” alternate uniforms ahead of this season's highly anticipated matchup against Penn State, reactions were seemingly split.
Some clamored for the days when their beloved Buckeyes donned gray helmets with Buckeye Leaf stickers and scarlet jerseys, while others — including every recruit we polled — couldn't wait to see the grayscaled look.
No matter which side of the fence on which you stood, though, there's no denying alternate uniforms have become intertwined within the very fabric of the football program.
While Oregon was the first to break from the traditional home and road uniforms, Ohio State was among 10 Nike programs to be outfitted in Pro Combat System of Dress in 2009. The Buckeyes wore white helmets, white jerseys and gray pants as a nod to the 1954 national championship team.
Never mind they weren't entirely accurate, these throwbacks were a way for the program to participate in the alternate uniform trend without alienating the traditionalists within the fan base.
Fast forward eight years, and Ohio State has honored past champions, given a futuristic twist on a classic and thrown tradition entirely out the window — as evidenced by the set worn against the Nittany Lions in late October and then the road version in which the team trotted out for this afternoon's game at Michigan.
And while the Buckeyes have never worn anything in the history of their program that resembled the camouflage “wolf fur” — and add in the fact that the uniforms are almost entirely devoid of the school's main color — it's still worth noting the Ohio State moved to 7-0 against Michigan (and 20-5 overall) while wearing alternate uniforms.
It's hard to argue with that kind of success, isn't it?
