What is Ohio State's black stripe ritual? What we know about the famous Buckeyes tradition 

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a unique tradition that sets them apart in college football.

Known as the black stripe ritual, this Buckeyes tradition appears when new prospects come into the team. They have to wear thin black stripes over their helmets until they prove that they are worthy of being called a full Ohio State Buckeyes member.

The upperclassmen show the new members how to behave on and off the pitch so as to have their stripes removed. It is a big deal when players have their black stripes removed and the landmark is usually celebrated.

The origins of Ohio State's black stripes tradition

The custom started with former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, who began the tradition during his time as coach of Bowling Green. Freshmen would have to wear the thin black stripe on their helmets.

When he was appointed the coach of Ohio State, he brought the custom with him and it has stuck long after he left.

They had to prove that they were worthy of having the black stripes removed from their helmets, signalling their full acceptance into the team.

Speaking to the Columbus Dispatch in 2012, Urban Meyer explained the origin of the custom.

“I wanted to put them through a ritual to become a member of the team, but not allow hazing,” Meyer explained. “They had to earn it the right way, not through hazing and silly, dangerous stuff. They had to earn the right on the football field and by being accountable.”

Urban Meyer explained that the black stripes were a way for fans to mostly track the player's efforts and that it wasn't the only rating system that the coaching staff used.

"I think you take a lot," Meyer said. "We have all kinds of different ways (of rating players). There's blue, red, gold (categories) too. We don't release that to you guys, what category they're in, but they earn it.

"It really doesn't have a lot to do with playing time and all that. It has to do about just practicing at the tempo, four-to-six, A-to-B. Living our culture, on and off the field and doing those types of things."

The longer a player takes to have their black stripe removed, the more stressful it becomes for them since it can be seen by everyone.

"Some guys have their stripes on for quite a while. That's an indicator that they're not quite doing what we asked them to do."

With the Northwestern hazing scandal still hanging over college sports, it seems like a harmless way to initiate new prospects into the team.