COLUMBUS -- Ohio Stadium has long been a shrine to college football, not only for what has happened on site but for the facility itself.

It was born when Ohio State star running back Chic Harley drew overwhelming crowds to Ohio Field, culminating in his last game against Illinois in 1919. Ohio State administrators figured they could've sold 50,000 tickets to that contest, but Ohio Field seated only about 12,000. Clearly, a new football site was needed and the school, led by faculty member Thomas French and athletic director Lynn St. John, addressed the problem with a revolutionary building.

Designed by architect Howard Dwight Smith, Ohio Stadium, nestled along the Olentangy River, is characterized by its great arches and grand rotunda at the north entrance. Smith's travels to Italy became a prominent architectural flavor in the project. Ohio Stadium's design draws direct influence from the Roman Coliseum and the Pantheon, giving a classic feel to the structure.

It was the first double-decked facility of its kind, and the original horseshoe shape had a practical purpose, to house the school's track and field program as well as the football team.

The building was completed in October, 1922, with capacity listed at 66,210. The final cost approached $1.6 million. The first $1 million was paid for by private donation, much of it from alumni contributions and a three-month public fund drive that seemed to galvanize central Ohio behind the school's football team, a bond that exists to this day.

Attendance through World War II rarely bubbled above 50,000. However, when the war ended, interest steadily increased and school officials constantly tinkered with the facility to add seating. The great success of teams under coach Woody Hayes (1951-1978) made Buckeye games a tough ticket, especially in the 1970s, a trend that continues to this day.

The building underwent a three-year renovation project that was completed in 2001 at a cost of $194 million. This upgrade pushed seating to a capacity of 101,568. The largest crowd to date was 105,532 for the Nov. 23, 2002 victory over Michigan, a 14-9 decision.

Some of college football's greatest athletes and coaches have competed in a facility that also saw the rise of track legend Jesse Owens in the 1930s.

Red Grange played his final game in an Illinois uniform here, as did Michigan's 1940 Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon. Later, Wisconsin Heisman Trophy winners Alan "The Horse" Ameche and Ron Dayne would star at Ohio Stadium. Stanford's John Elway and Oklahoma's Billy Sims would both lead their teams to unforgettable comeback victories in the Horseshoe.

Ohio State has also produced five Heisman winners who churned the sod, danced on the turf (1971-1989), and rumbled on the grass that covered Ohio Stadium's belly. Their numbers are retired inside the stadium: Les Horvath (22), Vic Janowicz (31), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (40), Archie Griffin (45) and Eddie George (27).

Legendary coaches including Bo Schembechler, Lou Holtz, and Joe Paterno all lost here, while Barry Switzer won his only contest along the banks of the Olentangy. In 1935, the Game of the Century was played at Ohio Stadium with Notre Dame gaining a miraculous 18-13 victory after trailing 13-0 entering the fourth quarter. It took the Buckeyes 60 years to gain revenge, which they did with a 45-26 victory in the Horseshoe in 1995.

The 1950 Michigan contest was branded a college football classic. Dubbed the "Snow Bowl" because it was played in blizzard-like conditions, the Wolverines earned a trip to the Rose Bowl by scoring on a pair of blocked punts (one for a safety and one for a touchdown) to win 9-3 without recording a first down.

Through the 2002 season, nearly 35 million people have attended games in Ohio Stadium. It's immense, impressive presence has given the Buckeyes an imposing homefield advantage that was particularly vital in three of the school's four upsets of No.1-ranked teams, including Wisconsin (1952), Purdue (1968) and Iowa (1985).

On March 22, 1974, Ohio Stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service. It was a fitting tribute to a building that has shaped the memories of Ohio State football since 1922.