What are Ohio State football's 10 most unbreakable records? Ohio State has sustained its football dominance in the 2020s, including winning a national championship two years ago.
But even as the Buckeyes continue to build on their success, some decades-old achievements are likely to remain unparalleled.
Below are the 10 most unbreakable program records, as ranked by their improbability, ranging from all-time individual performances to teamwide dominance.
Keep in mind this list does not include historical oddities such as Ohio State amassing 128 points against Oberlin in 1916 or attempting 21 punts against Michigan in the infamous Snow Bowl in 1950.
Even for a ranking of records that might be unattainable, its more relevant to include those at least within reach in other eras.
10.
C.J.
Strouds 573 passing yards in the Rose Bowl Stroud became the first Ohio State quarterback with a 500-yard passing game at the end of 2021.
During a comeback over Utah in the Rose Bowl, he threw for 573 yards and six touchdowns.
Only Julian Sayin, who passed for 393 yards in a win at Wisconsin last season, has come within 200 yards of the single-game school record since.
As Ohio States pace has slowed down, none of Strouds successors have reached even 400 yards in a game.
9.
Dwayne Haskins Jr.s 50 passing touchdowns in 2018 A year after J.T.
Barrett set the single-season school record with 35 touchdown passes, the milestone was shattered by his former backup.
Haskins needed only 11 games to surpass Barrett as he raised the bar for Ohio State quarterbacks during a prolific 2018 season that saw him throw 50 touchdowns.
Longer seasons due to the expansion of the College Football Playoff might make this a more vulnerable mark, but the Buckeyes would still need to be pretty pass-heavy.
8.
Mike Nugents 72 career field goals Nugent overtook Dan Stultz as the most productive kicker in Ohio State history in the early 2000s.
He won the Lou Groza Award and was twice named an All-American with 72 field goals from 2001 to 2004.
It was 13 more than Stultz made from 1996 to 2000 as coach Jim Tressel leaned on Nugents leg.
As long as fourth-down decisions remain subject to analytics, its hard to envision the Buckeyes ever trotting out for so many field goals.
7.
Ohio States 24-game winning streak The Buckeyes began the Urban Meyer era with 24 consecutive wins, spanning unbeaten regular seasons in 2012 and 2013.
While they nearly matched the streak by winning 23 games in a row in 2014 and 2015, it will be tougher to reach due to the Big Tens growing strength and College Football Playoff expansion.
The Buckeyes would likely need at least one perfect season coupled with a double-digit win streak in an adjacent year.
Through seven years, Ryan Days longest winning streak is 16 games.
6.
Ted Ginn Jr.s four punt return touchdowns in 2004 It did not take long for Ginn to unleash his electrifying speed as he returned four punts for touchdowns as a freshman, one shy of tying the NCAA single-season record set by Hawaiis Chad Owens later that year.
No Ohio State returner has come within striking distance of Ginns mark.
Only Corey Brown, who returned two punts for touchdowns in 2012, has since taken multiple punts for a score in a year, and Caleb Downs 79-yard touchdown in 2024 was the Buckeyes first in a decade.
5.
Pete Johnsons 56 career rushing touchdowns Not only did Johnson block for Archie Griffin as the Buckeyes fullback in the 1970s, but he also shared carries, especially near the goal line.
Using a 6-foot-1, 247-pound frame, he muscled into the end zone for 56 touchdowns from 1973 to 1976.
No other back has rushed for more than 50 touchdowns during their career at Ohio State.
Keith Byars, who ran for 46 touchdowns from 1982 to 1985, is the next closest.
The record remains a remnant of coach Woody Hayes three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust teams.
4.
Mike Sensibaughs 22 career interceptions Sensibaugh was one of the famed Super Sophomores, a class that formed the nucleus of the Buckeyes national championship team in 1968, and remained a ball-hawking safety in the secondary for two more years.
His 22 interceptions from 1968 to 1970 have long sat atop Ohio States all-time list, well ahead of Fred Bruney's 17 interceptions from 1950 to 1952.
As quarterbacks have become more accurate, its only more difficult to unseat Sensibaugh, even with longer careers owed to expanded eligibility windows.
3.
Tom Cousineaus 211 tackles in 1978 No one at Ohio State has equaled Cousineaus tackling production over a season.
As a senior in 1978, he was relentless, racking up 211 tackles, beginning with 29 in the opening game against Penn State.
Nearly half a century later, only Marcus Marek and Chris Spielman have come within 50 tackles of breaking Cousineaus single-season record.
Spielman was the closest with 205 tackles in 1986.
The proliferation of passing in the sport makes it more difficult to pile up tackles at the same rate.
2.
Woody Hayes 205 career wins Hayess historic tenure, which included three major poll national championships and 13 Big Ten titles, established him as the winningest coach in program history.
He led the Buckeyes to 205 wins in his 28 years, nearly twice as many as John Cooper, who ranks second in all-time wins at Ohio State with 111.
Its a lofty bar that would require decades of sustained dominance to reach.
Even if Day continues averaging 11 wins per season, it would take him into the late 2030s to eclipse Hayes.
1.
Archie Griffins 31 consecutive 100-yard rushing games Griffins place as college footballs only two-time Heisman Trophy winner and Ohio State's all-time leading rusher is rooted in his consistency.
He ran for 100 or more yards in 31 consecutive regular-season games spanning his sophomore through senior seasons, beginning with 129 yards in the Buckeyes season-opening win over Minnesota in 1973.
No Ohio State running back has even approached the streak, which remains an NCAA record.
The next closest is Ezekiel Elliott, who rushed for at least 100 yards in 15 straight games from 2014 to 2015.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch.
Email him at [email protected] and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
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