College football This season, players and coaches have spoken openly and on the biggest platforms about their faith, and on Monday, the two teams who led that conversation will face off in the national championship.
Ohio State is the favorite heading into the title game, but for many players, it’s their faith, not stats and analytics, that is the determining factor in their on-court confidence.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard (18) passes against Texas during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
In a series of interviews with Sports Spectrum this season, several Buckeyes players talked about turning to their faith and the impact it had on their performance on the field.
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“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 in my first year,” the star said. receiver Emeka Egbuka told the outlet in November.
Egbuka, a graduate student, recalled in his interview the turning point for him. He was invited to attend a mass by his teammates and said it was the first time he felt a real connection to his faith.
“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.
Emeka Egbuka, #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes, runs the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
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“I felt the Lord bring me back to Ohio State for another year. I felt the Lord ask me a question, test my heart: ‘If you come back for this next year, you You’re going to have this huge platform, you’re going to have tons of followers, you’re going to have these accolades – this name to live up to, and you can do one of two things with this moment. You can either use it to glorify me, or to glorify you. “So I have. saw it as a challenge and something I had to do.”
Star running back TreVeyon Henderson told the outlet in a separate interview that despite his standout rookie season, which included hits and no deals, he turned to his faith following 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.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) scores a touchdown on a 75-yard touchdown catch and run against the Texas Longhorns in the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium d ‘Arlington, Texas, January 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
And just last month, tight end Gee Scott Jr. said this season has been marked by a massive spiritual shift.
“I would just say that there has been a massive flock of people who are making the public declaration to surrender their lives to Christ, which I so welcome, because, especially at this age and in 2024, the world that we live in Right now, there are so many things you could allude to or give your life to, there are so many things you can give your life to.”
Just this week, Riley Leonard, Notre Dame quarterback praised both teams for speaking so openly about their faith, and he believes that’s one of the main reasons why these are the two teams fighting for college football’s biggest prize.
