The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes face off Monday night in the College Football National Championship, and only one team could be the winner.
This will mark the end of the first-ever expanded College Football Playoff. Neither team came into the tournament favored, and each team had to claw their way to the championship game. It’s sure to be a fight at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, but some of each team’s top talents expressed at least one thing in common to bring them together: their faith.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard celebrates with his fans in the stands after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (Amber Searls-Imagn Images)
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, running back TreVeyon Henderson and receiver Emeka Egbuka all spoke about their belief in God in the days leading up to the game.
“I really think things happen for a reason, not just us, but Ohio State. I think we’re the two main teams that have the most public display of our faith,” he told reporters last week. last week, according to Sports Michiana. “I don’t know if it was divine teaching, you know, that put us here.
“I truly believe that Jesus was looking over both of our shoulders throughout [whole] season and put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason. »
Howard talked about his belief in God after the team’s upset win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
“First of all, I have to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for giving me this opportunity to be on that stage at the Rose Bowl,” Howard told ESPN. “When I was younger, I would be impressed right now.”
Egbuka spoke to Sports Spectrum during the season about how faith affected his performance on the field.
“I would say over the last couple of years we’ve been kind of — there’s been a number of players on the football team who have restored their faith in Jesus Christ. And that was something which was important to me during my first year.” » the star receiver told the media in November.
Emeka Egbuka of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium on November 23, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Egbuka, a graduate student, recalled in his interview the turning point for him. He was invited to attend mass by his teammates and said it was the first time he felt a real connection to his faith.
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“Since then, my life has changed. A complete 180, and I have a similar testimony with many of the players on the team. We prayed for some type of renewal like this on our team, and we have decided to share with everyone what God has done in our football team.
Egbuka said he chose not to enter the NFL draft last season because he felt a calling “bigger” than football.
Henderson told the outlet in a separate interview that despite his standout rookie season, which included success and NIL deals, he turned to his faith after an injury.
“He saved my life from this path of destruction. He saved me. He put me on this path to eternal life…you see so many people go down this great path of destruction, but I am so grateful that Jesus, He saved me from this path and put me on his path.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman reinstated Mass from pregame when he took over in 2021. (AP Photo/Gérald Herbert)
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman reinstated the pregame mass when he took over from Brian Kelly in 2021. He was baptized in the Catholic Church in and received his first communion in September 2022.
Freeman thanked Notre Dame for encouraging the student body to develop their faith.
“It’s not just in Catholicism. It’s the reality of your faith and your belief in something greater than yourself,” he said.
Come Monday night, each team will say a prayer and then play the final 60 minutes of their season.
