The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes meet in college football National Championship Monday night, and only one team can be the winner.
It will mark the end of college football's first-ever expanded playoff. Neither team entered the tournament favored, and each team had to scratch and claw its way to the championship game. It will certainly be a contest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, but some of the top talent from each team expressed at least one thing in common that brings them together: their faith.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard celebrates with fans in the stands after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (Photos by Amber Searles-Imagine)
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, Ohio State's quarterback Will HowardTreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka both spoke about their faith in God in the days leading up to the game.
“I truly believe things happen for a reason, not just us, but Ohio State as well. I think we're the two main teams that publicly show our faith the most,” he told reporters last week. Michiana Sports. “I don't know if it's some divine teaching, you know, who put us here.
“I truly believe Jesus has been watching over us the entire (entire) season and put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason.”
Howard spoke 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 this opportunity to be on this stage at the Rose Bowl,” Howard told ESPN. “The younger me would be in awe now.”
Egbuka spoke to Sports Spectrum during the season How was faith affected? His performance on the field.
“I would say that over the last couple of years we've kind of — there's been kind of a number of players on the football team who have regained their faith in Jesus Christ. That was a big thing for me my freshman year.” the star receiver told the outlet in November.
Emeka Egbuka of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a goal in the second quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium on November 23, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Igbuka, a graduate student, recalled in his interview the 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.
College football star Ashton Genty talks about the possibility of Deion Sanders coaching the Cowboys
“Since then, my life has changed. I have turned 180, and I have a similar testimony to many of the players on the team. We were praying for some kind of revival like this on our team, and we decided to share with everyone what God has done on our soccer team.”
Egbuka said he opted out of the NFL Draft last season because he felt a “bigger” calling than football.
Henderson said port In a separate interview he said although he had an outstanding rookie season, which included success and nothing deals, 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 a lot of people go down that path of great destruction, but I'm so grateful that Jesus, he saved me from that path and put me on that path.”
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman reinstated his position before the game when he took over in 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman brought back the pregame Mass when he took over for Brian Kelly in 2021. He was baptized into the Catholic Church and received his first Holy Communion in September 2022.
Freeman credited Notre Dame Encouraging the student body To grow their faith.
“It's not just Catholicism. It's the fact that you have faith and belief in something bigger than yourself,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Come Monday night, each team will have a prayer and then lock up the final 60 minutes of the season.
Fox News' Paulina Didaj, Chantz Martin and Peter Burke contributed to this report.
