Ohio State Mulling Building Name Changes Due to Wexner's Alleged Jeffrey Epstein Ties

The Ohio State University is reportedly open to removing Les Wexner's name from buildings across campus due to his alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Sexual abuse survivors by former Ohio State University doctor Richard Strauss gather outside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to call for Les Wexner's name to be removed from the facility during a press conference on Dec. 17, 2025. The building is also named The Les Wexner Football Complex. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Anyone who has visted the Ohio State University campus has seen the name of Les Wexner prominently displayed all over. There is the OSU Wexner Medical Center, Wexner Center of the Arts, and in the interest of football fans, the Les Wexner Football Complex.

The Ohio native has donated vast riches to his alma mater, but that's not why he is currently in the news. He has had alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein for years, and a recent release of files in the Epstein case named Wexner as a potential "co-conspirator." Wexner had claimed he was simply the victim of a con by Epstein.

This has the university considering some name changes across buildings in Columbus.

NEW: Athletics facilities at multiple universities are named after donors with ties to Jeffrey Epstein, including football facilities at UCLA and Ohio State. @FOS reached out to four schools to see if they're considering renaming the buildings.https://t.co/o140UzOeqj

— Amanda Christovich (@achristovichh) February 20, 2026

A Front Office Sports report by Amanda Christovich and Alex Schiffer notes how the university is dealing with nearly 300 requests for Wexner's name to be removed on campus. Meanwhile, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has spoken out in support of Wexner.

What does this mean for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team?

Ohio State Buckeyes fans are suddenly seeing their favorite team being dragged into a massive worldwide scandal. So how will this impact the team in 2026?

For now, this should have no real impact on the team other than questions being asked by the media. But that should not affect players, who likely have no clue who Wexner is in the first place. This is more of a question for school administrators. Ryan Day is likely being briefed on how to respond as well.

College sports are seeing massive influxes of money due to new NIL rules. Wexner has been a major OSU donor for years, not just in sports, but he is not the only prominent graduate from the school. Thus, the university and its teams should be just fine in terms of money and remaining elite.

The focus now turns to whether the university will indeed remove Wexner's name from campus facilities. Again, this will not affect the teams on the field. However, the focus on Wexner could end up being a distraction and a talking point if nothing is done by kickoff in the fall.

This is a shocking situation and one Ohio State does not want to be known for. This puts school administrators and state officials in the spotlight for how they handle Wexner's association with the university.

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