A sea of scarlet and gray in the stands, rally towels flying, fans screaming – sounds like the setting of a football game at the Ohio Stadium.

Instead, this will be the scene at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Friday night as the women’s soccer team takes on Wisconsin in the Big Ten home-opener. This game will mark the first Scarlet and Gray game of the athletic season at Ohio State.

Every year the Department of Athletics sponsors one game for each sport to promote comradery among fellow student athletes. They simply have to show their student athlete ID cards to receive free admission to the game.

“The goal is to create a positive community for student athletes to support each other,” said Elizabeth Chaney, graduate administrative associate in marketing.

The student athletes get to have a little fun while they are at a game. At some point during each game there is an activity set up for them to participate in. Past activities have included pie eating contests and diving contests.

The Scarlet and Gray initiative was brought to OSU by Director of Athletics Gene Smith last year. It has proven to be a great way to remind student athletes that sports other than their own exist.

“Student athletes get self-focused on their own sports and forget what is going on around them,” said former OSU football player and assistant to the AD, Maurice Hall. Hall (2001-2005) was never able to participate in a Scarlet and Gray game, but wishes he would have had the opportunity.

“When I played here I never got a chance to see volleyball or swimming,” he said. “It is fun to see different sports and learn about different sports.”

As the first Scarlet and Gray game kicks off Friday, fans and athletes will get a chance to bond over Buckeye spirit in the stadium.

“We create a dreamlike college soccer environment,” said Lori Walker, women’s soccer coach.

Walker supports the idea of Scarlet and Gray games and is appreciative of the fan response. She encourages her players to attend as many games as possible in their off season.

“We know what a difference it makes at our own facility to have student athletes on our Scarlet and Gray night,” she said. “We appreciate it when they come for us and support it when it is our turn.”

The team is 4-4-1 going into the game Friday night, while their opponent sits at 4-3-2 overall. The girls are looking for their first Big Ten win of the season against a strong Badgers offense. Walker is confident her defense will step up and keep their strategy simple.

“We have one of the best back lines in the Big Ten,” she said. “We need to continue to be explosive in the final 20 yards of the field.”

Much like in football, the fans are the 12th man on the field. “The sound is great, the noise, the cheers, their ability to rally us has been tremendous,” Walker said.

The soccer program is going one step beyond the Scarlet and Gray game to help the Buckeyes defend their perfect home record this season. All OSU students will receive free admission to the game and the first 2,000 people entering get a rally towel. Following the game, fans can stick around to meet the team and get a few autographs. Fans arriving early will get a chance to meet Columbus Crew forward Knox Cameron. The game will start at 7:30 p.m.