The 225-member “Pride of the Buckeyes” marched through spectator-lined streets in London on Saturday, Oct. 24, and wowed British crowds with their showmanship at a pre-game show before the Sunday, Oct. 25, NFL matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars in London’s Wembley Stadium. It was the first time The Ohio State University Marching Band has performed outside of the United States since 1975, though their reputation spans the globe thanks to viral videos of their halftime shows that have been viewed by millions.

The group marched in the festive parade that spanned Regent Street and conducted an open rehearsal in a rugby stadium on Saturday. The following day, the “Best Damn Band in the Land” performed at a pep rally and entertained fans with the London-themed show in the stadium.

"It was the thrill of a lifetime, both for me and for the students," said Chris Hoch, interim director of the Marching Band, who is lead designer of the group’s complex animated marching formations. "The reception from the people of London was wonderful. We didn't expect the reaction we got from this community, because they're not accustomed to an American-style marching band. But we were pleasantly surprised; the crowd response was absolutely fantastic.”

The Ohio State University Marching Band is one of the few college all-brass-and-percussion bands in the country, and is known as being the largest of its kind in the world.

The NFL covered all of the band’s travel costs for the trip.

View photos from the trip

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