🪕 The Caamp Fire Fiasco: Why Ohio Stadium Fans Are Already Roasting the New “Tradition”

What do you get when you combine a mellow folk song, 100,000 rowdy Buckeye fans, and a desperate attempt at forced tradition?

Answer: The great Caamp Controversy of 2025.

Ohio State fans have taken to Reddit and social media this week to collectively cringe at news that the university is planning to debut the song “Ohio” by Caamp during the Texas game, accompanied by a video montage and a hopeful sing-along moment.

Except… no one’s singing. They’re bracing for secondhand embarrassment.

🚫 “This Ain’t It”

Let’s get this straight: most fans don’t hate Caamp. Plenty even like the band. But liking Caamp ≠ wanting their soft banjo ballads pumped through the Ohio Stadium sound system while you’re hyped up on bratwursts and adrenaline.

As one Redditor put it:

“It’s a fine song… for a Subaru commercial. Not for Penn State at the ‘Shoe.”

Another chimed in with:

“That song sucks ass for a stadium banger. Mediocre even for a Sunday drive.”

The biggest gripe? It’s got zero hype.
No bass. No stomp. No punch. Just raspy vocals and confusing lyrics fans can’t even understand with headphones on, let alone over a bad PA system in a concrete coliseum.

🎤 Who Picked This?

That’s the million-dollar question. Speculation has centered around new Athletic Director Ross Bjork, who fans accuse of trying too hard to invent a viral “tradition” out of thin air.

“He’s messing with things he doesn’t understand,” one fan wrote. “That’s a recipe for disaster.”

Some fans suggested it was an attempt to force an Ohio-themed identity on the game day experience. Which sounds nice — until you realize Caamp’s “Ohio” sounds more like something you’d hear at a coffee shop in Athens, not a showdown at the Horseshoe.

💡 Alternatives the Fans Would Actually Back

The Ohio State subreddit wasn’t just complaining — they came with receipts and better ideas:

• O.A.R. – Actually went to Ohio State. Has stadium-capable bangers.
• Black Keys – “Ohio” – Already a known anthem. Fits the vibe.
• Parkway Drive – “Wild Eyes” – Would make an elite team entrance moment.
• Hawthorne Heights – “Ohio Is for Lovers” – Emo classic. Say what you want, it slaps.
• Jock Jams Vol. 1–7 – Honestly better than what’s currently planned.
• Just… keep playing Hell’s Bells and Hang On Sloopy.

🔔 And What’s With the Victory Bell?

Fans also torched the idea of ringing the Victory Bell during the game instead of reserving it for, you know, actual victories. One fan suggested renaming it the “Dork Bjork Cheesy Gimmick Bell.”

Can’t make this stuff up.

🧃 Final Thoughts: Stop Forcing It

Ohio State already has traditions that fans cherish:

• Hang On Sloopy between the 3rd and 4th quarters
• TBDBITL running the show
• Hell’s Bells on 3rd downs
• Just… letting the stadium roar speak for itself

Trying to force-feed a lukewarm acoustic track into that environment feels tone-deaf. This isn’t a yoga studio. It’s the Horseshoe.

If you have to explain a tradition before it even happens — it’s probably not going to work.

🧾 Verdict

Ohio State fans aren’t rejecting change. They’re rejecting bad change.

So here’s some free advice: if you want a new stadium anthem, let the people decide or at the very least, pick something that slaps.

And please, for the love of Brutus… no more banjo ballads.