WATCH: Ohio State University filed trademark application for the word 'the'

The Ohio State University has taken its “the” thing to a whole new level.

The school reportedly filed a trademark application last week with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the word “the.”

Really.

The plan is to put a big ol’ THE on hats and T-shirts like this one:

Ohio State spokesman Chris Davey shared the following statement:

“Like other institutions, Ohio State works to vigorously protect the university’s brand and trademarks.

“These assets hold significant value, which benefits our students and faculty and the broader community by supporting our core academic mission of teaching and research.”

And a quick word from the other university in Ohio, Ohio University: