The Ohio State Buckeyes may be in the off-season, but the program is still competing. This time, coach Ryan Day’s squad has come together for a cause far bigger than football. On Wednesday morning, members of the Buckeyes community came together to support a blood donation drive, turning their competitive spirit toward helping those in need. Adding even more fuel to the effort, Ohio State’s former big gun Archie Griffin stepped in to donate blood.
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“Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin and several current Ohio State football players were at Ohio Stadium this morning to kick off the “We Give Blood” campaign, in which Ohio State is competing against the other 17 Big Ten schools for a $1 million grant from Abbott,” wrote Dan Hope, Ohio State beat writer for Eleven Warriors, in a post on X.
Ohio State University is actively engaging in a healthy competition against the other 17 Big Ten schools in this drive organized by global healthcare partner Abbott. The school that secures the most donations by the end of the challenge will receive a $1 million grant from Abbott to advance student or community health and wellness programs.
The Buckeyes conducted their introductory on-campus drive inside the stadium’s Huntington Club from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Fans who showed up to donate blood were gifted a free, exclusive “We Give Blood” Ohio State T-shirt.
The highlight of the day was Archie Griffin showing up to do his part for the community. He is a legendary former running back for the Ohio State Buckeyes and widely considered one of the greatest players in college football history, winning the Heisman Trophy twice, in 1974 and 1975. Despite decades of elite talent passing through the NCAA, his back-to-back record remains unbroken.
Ohio State officially retired his jersey number, 45, ensuring no other Buckeye football player will ever wear it again. In 2024, Ohio State further honored his legacy by unveiling a permanent bronze statue of Griffin outside the Rotunda at Ohio Stadium.
Griffin has been a man of great principles, and his presence at the blood donation drive is an extension of his efforts outside football. He attributed his altruistic methods to his former Buckeyes coach, Woody Hayes.
“We didn’t have a whole lot coming up in a large family such as I had, but my family always gave what they could to help neighbors and things of that,” Griffin told 247sports.com last week. “So it was already in the back of my mind, but Woody’s paying forward just shouted out there and made me realize, ‘Hey, this is what you want to do; you want to help people.'”
Iconic figures act as massive crowd-pullers, and Archie doing his part in the blood camp will help the Buckeyes’ cause. Fans who might otherwise skip a routine blood drive showed up at Ohio Stadium, especially for the rare opportunity to see, interact with, and potentially get an autograph from a legendary Hall of Famer.
While active players connect heavily with the current student body, Griffin holds immense sway over older alumni, boosters, and lifelong Buckeye families. His endorsement ensures that multiple generations of Ohio State supporters feel a personal civic duty to participate.
Donors were also entered into a sweepstakes to win Buckeye mini-helmets signed by head coach Ryan Day, alongside an exclusive VIP meet-and-greet pass for a future recording of the Ryan Day Show.
Where Other Programs Stand In Abbott’s Blood Donation Leaderboard
As of this writing, Ohio State sits in fourth place on the official Big Ten “We Give Blood” leaderboard, tracking 150 donors and 450 lives saved. At the top of the leaderboard is Nebraska, with 421 donors and 1263 lives saved. Nebraska won the inaugural Abbott challenge in 2024 but lost a close race to Wisconsin last year by 925 donations.
Nebraska voters have seen the direct benefits of the $1 million grand prize from the inaugural drive. Their victory cash funded mental health support for students and veterans, built a new on-campus produce garden, and placed a full-time financial coach on campus for struggling students.
The second program on the leaderboard is Wisconsin. The Badgers are the reigning champions of the “We Give Blood” challenge. They are positioned just behind Nebraska in the race for the $1 million grand prize, with 254 donors and 762 lives saved. Iowa slots in third with 172 donors and 516 lives saved.
The donors will be tallied throughout the season, and Abbott will crown the winning university on December 5 at the 2026 Big Ten Football Championship Game in Indianapolis.