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Ohio State, Notre Dame Players 'Share the Hope' They've Found in Jesus Ahead of Championship Game

Talia Wise
01-17-2025

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Monday night brings the long-awaited college football championship game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes. 

And while many fans are looking forward to rooting for their favorite athletes, they are excited for more reasons than just the game. Many players from both teams have boldly expressed their faith in Jesus Christ and it is not only encouraging, but inspiring, thousands of football fans. 

As CBN News has reported, last Friday, almost the entire Buckeye roster took to the field and bowed to their knees in prayer before they faced the Texas Longhorns – a move that surprised fans.

And Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard doesn't mince words when it comes to his faith.

After a dramatic win against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9, Leonard told ESPN reporters he trusted God with the outcome of the game. 

"I just started trusting the Lord," he said of a 10-3 deficit that turned into a 27-24 victory. "I looked up and said, 'Jesus, whatever your will is for my life, I trust it 100 percent.' This offense and this team trust in Jesus and his plan for this season."

Leonard recently faced some criticism for saying he believes his team and the Buckeyes have made it to the championship because of their heart to glorify God. 

"We're the two main teams to just publicly display our faith the most. ... I truly believe that Jesus was looking over both our shoulders throughout the season and put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason," he said.

The Fighting Irish and the Buckeyes are not the only teams to lift up Christ this season. 

After participating in the Peach Bowl several weeks ago, Texas Longhorns running back Nick Sanders asked Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, "Can I pray for you?"

The faith-filled moment caught the attention of thousands online including North Carolina-based Pastor Derwin Gray, a former collegiate and professional football player, who said, "Something incredible is happening."

And he is right. This surge of revival in athletics has caught the attention of fans, followers, and even professional athletes. 

"Hearing [about] these college football players over the last several weeks has been exciting," former NFL Tight End Benjamin Watson told CBN Sports. "It's been encouraging to see them so bold in their faith."

"Throughout my time in sports, there have always been guys in the locker room who are believers. It just seems like more recently there is just so many more avenues and some of these young players are taking advantage of it to proclaim the name of Jesus," he shared. 

The Buckeyes took advantage of an opportunity to share Jesus with their entire campus at the start of the season. 

As CBN News reported, some of the players boldly preached the gospel to 800-1,000 people on campus last August. In the end, about 60 students chose to get baptized into the Christian faith. 

"We were praying for years and years for an event like this, and we were praying with expectation — we serve a miracle-working God," Egbuka said of the outreach. "So we definitely had an expectation when it came out, but God did increasingly and abundantly more than what we thought. So, we're just so blessed and thankful."

Watson says what is taking place among these college teams is young men more focused on honoring God than themselves. 

"I think that much of what you're seeing is just young men realizing that God is the author of the story. And they are playing their role and playing their part as humbly as they can and they're using every opportunity to give an answer for the hope that's within them," he said. 

Watson added that he is praying for those players as well. 

"My prayer for them is that they have a model of discipleship within their locker rooms," Watson explained. "(I also) pray for local churches as these players go back to their homes in the off seasons or whether they stay in their city."

"[I] pray for models of discipleship within the locker room and outside of the locker room because we all know that maturity is the goal of every believer," he said. 

Watson added, "[We] should be praying) they be leaders in their homes and that God protect them and that they continue to grow in their faith." 

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About The Author

Talia
Wise

Talia Wise has served as a multi-media producer for CBNNews.com, CBN Newswatch, The Prayer Link, and CBN News social media outlets. Prior to joining CBN News she worked for Fox Sports Florida producing and reporting. Talia earned a master’s degree in journalism from Regent University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia.
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