In a spectacle that feels equal parts devotion and irony, Ohio State fans recently lined up in droves at Market District to pose with the College Football Playoff (CFP) Championship Trophy. The same trophy their team hasn’t hoisted since 2014. Is this dedication to tradition, or are we witnessing a bizarre manifestation of blind fandom?

Market District’s promotion was meant to draw fans and celebrate college football’s most coveted prize. But the scene felt more like a participation trophy parade. Fans decked out in scarlet and gray stood in line for hours, waiting for their chance to touch glory—glory that hasn’t belonged to Ohio State in over a decade.

Let’s not sugarcoat it: Ohio State’s postseason performances have been underwhelming in recent years. Despite consistent top recruiting classes and playoff appearances, the Buckeyes have struggled to reclaim their dominance. The trophy, therefore, becomes an almost mythical object—a bittersweet reminder of what could have been.

Some might argue this kind of enthusiasm shows the passion of Buckeye Nation. Ohio State has one of the most loyal and fervent fan bases in college sports, after all. But is this passion, or are fans simply grasping at symbolic straws? Should a fanbase so accustomed to winning really be content posing with a trophy they didn’t win?

Critics have pointed out the irony: While fans celebrate the proximity to success, other programs—like Georgia and Alabama—are too busy actually winning championships to engage in these promotional stunts. For Ohio State fans to stand in line for a trophy they didn’t earn feels, at best, like misplaced energy and, at worst, like an exercise in self-delusion.

The question is, what does this event say about the culture of Ohio State fandom? Is it an acknowledgment of how far the program has fallen behind in the national championship race? Or is it a testament to the unwavering loyalty of fans who will support their team, win or lose?

One thing is certain: the fans who lined up at Market District got their photo-op, but the program’s real moment of reckoning will come next season. Until then, the CFP trophy serves as both an aspiration and a haunting reminder that Ohio State still has unfinished business.

Ohio State fans, what do you really see when you look at that trophy? Pride, hope, or just a glaring void waiting to be filled?