A Very Faithful College Football National Championship

The January 20 matchup between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and The Ohio State University Buckeyes will be one of the most-watched college football games of all time. While audiences will no doubt be dazzled by the blazing speed of the Buckeyes’ star receivers and the hard-nosed grit of Notre Dame’s defensive front, viewers will also be treated to something that has largely gone missing from mainstream American culture – a healthy dose of Christian faith.

Notre Dame’s connection to Christianity is obvious. The school is undoubtedly the most prominent Catholic institution in the United States. Its most iconic landmark (aside, perhaps, from the football stadium) is the Word of Life Mural, a 134-foot-tall depiction of Jesus Christ on the side of the Hesburgh library that fans have affectionately dubbed “Touchdown Jesus.”

Irish head coach Marcus Freeman is a practicing Catholic, having converted to the faith back in 2022. After former head coach Brian Kelly discontinued the practice, Freeman reinstated the tradition of players attending Mass before each game.

“To me, what better time is there to go have Mass?” Freeman said. “What better time to be able to really be on the edge of your seat to get every word that comes out of the priest’s mouth and to be as close to God as you can?”

Notre Dame’s team leaders have also embraced the faith and offered public displays of devotion to Christ throughout the team’s improbable run to the doorstep of a championship. “First and foremost I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” quarterback Riley Leonard said following the team’s 23-10 win over the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs in the quarterfinal game. “Without Him, I wouldn’t be here, and we wouldn’t be here.”

While it’s perhaps expected to see strong faith among the Irish coaches and players, the Buckeyes have also made headlines this season for leading what is most accurately described as a religious revival.

Last August, a group of players led by star running back TreVeyon Henderson held a religious service on campus that drew hundreds of students. More than 50 were baptized. “They were just getting all hyped. It was like a locker room, but for Jesus,” one senior remarked. Star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, receiver Emeka Egbuka, tight end Gee Scott Jr., offensive lineman Carson Hinzman, and several other teammates shared their stories about their walk with God and conversion to the faith.

Numerous players also wore “Jesus Won” shirts at the start of preseason camp last fall, and star quarterback Will Howard sported one following the team’s 56-0 dismantling of Western Michigan in September.

As Henderson and his teammates have made one of the most dominant runs in the sport’s history through the playoffs, dispatching Tennessee 42-10, Oregon 41-21, and Texas 28-14, the platform for players to express their faith has only grown larger.

During each game, Henderson has had the verse Romans 10:9 scrawled across his eye black. It reads, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Various other Buckeyes players on both sides of the ball have pointed to heaven following big moments – a small display of faith that has become increasingly common throughout the sport.

Following the team’s victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Howard, who completed 65 percent of his passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns, took his postgame interview as an opportunity to thank God. “First and foremost, I gotta thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for giving me this opportunity to be on this stage in the Rose Bowl,” he said. “Younger me would be in awe right now.” Throughout the season, Howard has begun his press conferences in much the same fashion, giving glory to God before answering any questions.

In perhaps the most stirring display of faith seen from a Buckeye this season, star sophomore safety Caleb Downs kneeled in the end zone and lifted his hands to God following defensive end Jack Sawyer’s electric scoop and score to seal the win over the 5th-seeded Texas Longhorns. “Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus,” Downs was heard saying when the camera panned to him on the sideline moments later.

In a rapidly secularizing culture growing ever more hostile toward Christianity, it is difficult to imagine a bigger stage for a public display of faith than Ohio State’s players have created. The Buckeyes’ victory over the Oregon Ducks drew in an average of 21.1 million viewers, the most for any college football game since last year’s national championship. Just a week later, the Cotton Bowl game against Texas drew 20.6 million viewers.

Of course, while Notre Dame and Ohio State have especially noteworthy faith-based storylines, they are hardly the only teams with players and coaches who use their platforms to glorify God. Following the team’s loss to Ohio State, Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron put things into perspective during his postgame press conference, saying “We know who our leader is, and that’s God and Jesus Christ.” Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers has also repeatedly spoken out about his faith journey, along with dozens of other players in college and the NFL.

Football in general has become a critical avenue for keeping Christian belief in the mainstream cultural consciousness. Given the violence and inherent danger of the sport, it is perhaps unsurprising that coaches and players should turn to God for guidance and protection. But in doing so, they are showing countless others the path to salvation.

The national championship game between Notre Dame and Ohio State will kick off in Atlanta on January 20 at 7:30 pm on ESPN.

Shane Harris is a writer and political consultant from Southwest Ohio. You can follow him on X @shaneharris513.