College football players and coaches have spoken openly and on the biggest platforms this season about their faith, and on Monday, two teams that have led that conversation will face off in the national championship game.
Ohio State is the favorite heading into the title game, but for many players it is their belief, not statistics and analysis, that is the driving factor behind their confidence on the pitch.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard (18) passes against Texas during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal, 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 how it has affected their performance on the field.
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“I would say we’ve been for the last couple of years — there’s been quite a few players on the football team who have restored their faith in Jesus Christ. And that was something that was huge for me my freshman year,” the star Receiver Emeka Egbuka told the outlet in November.
Egbuka, a graduate student, in his interview recalled the turning point for him. He was invited to attend a Mass by his teammates and said it was the first time he had felt a real connection to his faith.
“Ever since then my life has been changed. A complete 180 and I have a similar testimony to many players in the team. We have been asking for some kind of revival like this in our team and we decided to share with everyone what God has made on our football team.”
Egbuka said he opted against entering the NFL Draft last season because he felt a calling that was “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 like the Lord was leading me back to Ohio State for another year. I felt like the Lord was asking me a question and testing my heart, ‘If you come back to this next year, you’re going to have this huge platform, you’re going to to have tons of followers, you will get these accolades – this name to live up to, and you can do one of two things with that moment, you can either use it to glorify me or to glorify yourself. ‘ so I saw it as something of a challenge and something I had to do.”
Star running back TreVeyon Henderson said in a separate interview that despite his outstanding rookie season, which included success and NIL deals, he had turned to his faith after an injury.
“He saved my life from going down that road to destruction. He saved me. He set me on this road to eternal life … you see so many people go down that great road to destruction, but I’m so thankful for Jesus, He saved me from that way and set me on His way.”
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 in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 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 massive changes spiritually.
“I just want to say that there have been a lot of people making public declarations of giving their lives to Christ, which I commend so much because, especially in this age and in 2024, the world we live in right now, there are so many things you can allude to or surrender your life to, there are so many things you can give your life to.”
Just this week, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard praised both teams for being so open about their faith, and he believes that’s a big reason why they’re the two teams battling for college football’s biggest prize.
