Notre Dame, Ohio State meet in the college football state championship with faith at the forefront

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes meet in college football national championship on Monday night, and only one team could be victorious.

It will mark the end of the first ever expanded college football playoff. Neither team entered the tournament as a favorite and each team had to scratch and claw their way to the championship game. It’s sure to be a scrimmage at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, but some of the top talent from each team expressed at least one thing in common that unites them: their faith.

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Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, Ohio State quarterback Will Howardrunning back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka talked about their faith 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 major teams that show their faith the most publicly,” he told reporters last week, per Sports Michiana. “I don’t know if this is some divine teaching, you know, who put us here.

“I truly believe that Jesus was looking over our shoulders the whole time [whole] season and with reason to raise these two teams to the pedestal.”

Howard talked about his faith in God after the team’s upset win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

“First and foremost, I have to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for giving me the opportunity to be on this stage at the Rose Bowl,” Howard told ESPN. “The younger me would be scared now.”

During the season, Egbuka spoke to Sports Spectrum about how faith influenced his performance on the field.

“I would say over the past few years we’ve kind of been — there’s been a couple of players on the football team that have taken their faith back in Jesus Christ. And that was something that was big for me my freshman year,” the senior wide receiver told the outlet in in November.

Egbuka, a senior, recalled the turning point for him in an interview. His teammates invited him to the Mass and he said it was the first time he felt a true connection with his faith.

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“Since then my life has changed. A complete 180, and I have a similar testimony as many players on the team. We have been praying for this kind of revival in our team and we decided to share with everyone what God has been doing in our football team.”

Egbuka said he decided against entering the NFL draft last season because he felt a calling that was “bigger” than football.

Henderson said Exit in a separate interview that despite his outstanding rookie season, which included success and NIL contracts, he turned to his faith after the injury.

“He saved my life from going down that path of destruction. He saved me. He put me on this path of eternal life…you see so many people go down that great path of destruction, but I’m so thankful that Jesus, He delivered me from that path and placed on His path.”

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman brought back the pregame Mass when he took over for Brian Kelly in 2021. He was baptized in the Catholic Church and received his first Holy Communion in September 2022.

Freeman is credited for Notre Dame encouraging the student body that their faith grows.

“It’s not just about Catholicism. The reality is that you have faith and belief in something bigger than yourself,” he said.

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On Monday night, each team will have a prayer and then lock in for the final 60 minutes of their season.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj, Chantz Martin and Peter Burke contributed to this report.