Saturdays before heading into “The ‘Shoe,” it’s Skull Session time. One of Ohio State’s oldest and richest traditions, the Skull Session—aka the pre-game practice of “The Best Damn Band in the Land”—was implemented in 1932 by director Eugene J. Weigel, who wanted to ensure his band had mastered the week’s music. Once the practice was opened to the public, the tradition grew so popular they started selling tickets!

In 1957, the Skull Session moved from the band’s rehearsal hall to the new St. John Arena, and became first-come-first-serve for St. John’s 10,000 seats. Director Paul Droste was responsible for transforming the session feel into its current hyped-up atmosphere, and in 2001 Jim Tressel added to the tradition by having the football team attend and help rally the crowd.