North Columbus News

Archie Griffin will serve as grand marshal of The Ohio State University Homecoming Parade on Friday, Oct. 25. The parade will commence at 6 p.m. in Ohio Stadium’s west parking lot and conclude at the Ohio Union at 7 p.m.

The free event precedes the Buckeyes football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, Oct. 26.

The Homecoming Parade is one of the university’s significant and long-standing traditions. Griffin’s role as grand marshal is part of Ohio State’s celebration of the legendary Buckeye this season on the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy.

With his storied career, Griffin is one of the most well-known and respected representatives of Ohio State, said Annie Maxwell, program coordinator for the Ohio Union Activities Board.

“We are so happy to have Archie Griffin as the grand marshal for this year’s Homecoming Parade,” she said. “He truly embodies what it means to be a Buckeye for life, and we are excited to celebrate all he has done for the campus community.”

In 1974, Griffin won the Heisman Trophy and was recognized as the nation’s most outstanding college football player. He repeated this achievement in 1975 – becoming the only player in history to do so.

Griffin, from Columbus and Eastmoor High School, was only a junior when he won his first Heisman. At that time, legendary coach Woody Hayes called him “the greatest football player I have ever coached.”

Beyond his accomplishments on the field, Griffin has remained committed to Ohio State and the central Ohio community. He worked for the university’s Department of Athletics from 1985 to 2004, serving as assistant director of athletics for external affairs and associate director of athletics for Olympic sports.

In 2002, Griffin established the Archie Griffin Scholarship Fund to aid undergraduates in Olympic sports. He served as president and CEO of The Ohio State University Alumni Association from 2004 to 2015. In 2015, he delivered the spring commencement address to a class that included Adam Griffin, one of his three sons.

The 2024 Homecoming Parade will feature student organization banners, floats, Ohio State colleges and departments, and community organizations. Students, alumni and Ohio State family and friends are invited to attend.

The 50th anniversary celebration also included unveiling a statue honoring Griffin at the Rose Bowl with a replica at Ohio Stadium. Additionally, he dotted the “i” with The Ohio State Marching Band during its “Script Ohio” performance at halftime of the Buckeyes’ Aug. 31 season opener against Akron. This month, Griffin will meet with Ohio State faculty and staff to thank them for their efforts in moving students onto campus at the start of the academic year.