On Monday night, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes will meet for the College Football National Championship, and only one team can emerge victorious.
This marks the end of the first ever expanded College Football Playoff. Neither team entered the tournament with an advantage, and each team had to struggle to advance to the championship game. It will definitely be a scrap at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, but some of each team's top talent expressed at least one commonality that will unite the team: belief.
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Notre Dame Irish quarterback Riley Leonard celebrates with fans in the stands after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (Amber Searles-Imagn Images)
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, running back Treveyon Henderson, and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka all expressed their faith in God in the days leading up to the game. talked about.
“I really think things happen for a reason, not just us, but Ohio State as well. I think those are the two major teams that can most publicly display our beliefs,” he said. he told reporters last week. sports michiana. “I don’t know if this is God who put us here.
“I truly believe that Jesus was watching over our shoulders during this time. [whole] There's a reason we put these two teams on a pedestal during the season. ”
Howard talked about his faith in God after his team's come-from-behind victory 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 stand on this stage at the Rose Bowl,” Howard told ESPN. “When I was younger, I would be in awe now.”
Egbuka spoke to Sports Spectrum during the season about how his faith affected his performance on the field.
“I think we've been like that the last few years. We kind of had a number of players on the football team who had a return to faith in Jesus Christ. And that was a big thing for me as a freshman. '' the star receiver told the outlet in November.
Emeka Egbuka of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of a game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Morley/Getty Images)
In an interview, Egbuka, a graduate student, reflected on what was a turning point for him. He was invited to attend Mass by his teammates, and said it was the first time he felt a real connection to his faith.
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“My life has changed since then. I've done a complete 180 and I have similar testimonies for many of the players on the team. We've been praying for this kind of comeback for our team. .And we decided to share with everyone what God has done for our soccer team. ”
Egbuka said last season that he chose not to enter the NFL Draft because he felt he had a “bigger” calling than football.
Henderson said. outlet In another interview, he said that despite having a remarkable rookie season that included success and an NIL contract, he used the injury as a springboard for sticking to his beliefs.
“Jesus saved my life from walking on the path of destruction. I see many people walking down that path of great destruction, but I am so grateful to Jesus for rescuing me from that path and leading me to the path of the Lord.”
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman reinstated the pregame mass when he took over in 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman brought back the pregame mass in 2021, replacing Brian Kelly. He was baptized in the Catholic Church in September 2022 and received his first Holy Communion.
Freeman praised Notre Dame for encouraging the student body to grow in its faith.
“This is not just a Catholic thing, it’s the reality of having faith and belief in something bigger than yourself,” he said.
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Come Monday night, each team will pray and play hard for the final 60 minutes of the season.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj, Chantz Martin and Peter Burke contributed to this report.
