\n Who was the first college football team to wear winged helmets? The answer might surprise you. <\/p>\n
\n\tNowadays, the idea of Ohio State wearing winged helmets would be considered blasphemy. Over the past 88 years, the winged helmet has become synonymous with Michigan, Ohio State\u2019s hated rival. The only time you\u2019ll ever see a Buckeye wear a winged helmet in modern times is during the practice week leading up to The Game, when Ohio State\u2019s scout-teamers don maize and blue helmets and jerseys to help the Buckeyes prepare to play the team up north.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tFor five years in the 1930s, however, Ohio State was the team wearing winged helmets in The Game.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tSam Willaman\u2019s Buckeyes were the first college football team to wear winged helmets when they adopted the design in 1930. Their version of the winged helmet, designed by Spalding, had more to do with safety than aesthetics; according to SpartanJerseys.com<\/a>, the lighter-colored wing, placed on top of a dark-colored leather helmet, was put in place as extra padding to help protect players from collisions.\n<\/p>\n \t \n\t\tOhio State wearing the winged helmets during a 27-0 win over Navy in 1930. (Photo: The Makio, 1931, Ohio State University Archives)\n\t<\/p>\n \n\tOhio State wore the winged helmets through Francis Schmidt\u2019s first season in 1934 \u2013 when the Buckeyes earned their first of four straight shutout wins over Michigan under Schmidt \u2013 before switching back to solid-colored helmets in 1935.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n