Monday night’s College Football National Championship certainly had its share of exciting moments. But it was the players’ glorification of Jesus Christ that took center stage.
After leading his team to a 34-23 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard took the time to praise his Lord and Savior for giving the Buckeyes the opportunity to compete for a national title. Howard was named Offensive MVP of the game, in which he threw for 231 yards, rushed for 57 yards, and secured two touchdowns.
“First and foremost, I gotta give the glory and the praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t be here without Him …,” Howard said. “I can’t believe God gave me the chance to be a Buckeye.”
Several Ohio State players were also seen kneeling in prayer following their victory.
But it wasn’t only Monday night’s victors who went out of their way to openly profess their Christian faith.
During his post-game press conference, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard thanked Christ for giving him “the opportunity to play in this game,” and noted how the two teams competing for a national championship were those who were unashamed in their praise for God’s glory. The Fighting Irish quarterback notably pointed to his wristband, which had “Matthew 23:12” written on it, after scoring a touchdown on the game’s opening drive.
“Us and Ohio State were the two teams who praised Jesus Christ the most and I think we strengthened each other in our faith,” Leonard said. “I’m happy to see godly men come out on top, no matter what the circumstance is. I’m very happy to praise Jesus in the lowest of lows as well.”
ESPN hosts Scott Van Pelt and Rece Davis also noted Ohio State’s embrace of faith during the game’s post-game show.
Ohio State and Notre Dame’s worship of Jesus has been a constant theme throughout this year’s College Football Playoffs.
Leonard gave praise following his team’s wins over the Georgia Bulldogs (23-10) and Penn State Nittany Lions (27-24). Howard similarly glorified Christ after the Buckeyes’ victory over the Oregon Ducks (41-21).
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman — who converted to Catholicism several years ago — has also been vocal about his Christian faith and its importance to the Fighting Irish football program.
“I have a strong faith and … you have to trust beyond having evidence, trust beyond knowing, which is another motto for having faith,” Freeman told reporters over the weekend. “We’re not shy about it. They’re not shy about it, and it’s important for us.”
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
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