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Ohio State Buckeyes stars Will Howard and Jack Sawyer gave praise to God on Monday night following their college football national championship victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Howard and Sawyer each made key plays throughout the College Football Playoffs to lift Ohio State to the win. Against Notre Dame, Howard threw two touchdown passes and made a clutch throw on third down to Jeremiah Smith late in the 34-23 win. Sawyer had three tackles in the game. He had a scoop-and-score in the semifinals against Texas.
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Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, #18, passes against Notre Dame during the second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The Kansas State transfer had faith on his mind as confetti rained down on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“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 wouldn’t be here without my teammates, without my family, without everyone that bet on me back in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, I’m at a loss for words right now.”
Howard praised God again as he received the Offensive MVP Award.
“Before I say anything, I gotta give my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all the glory, all the praise. Amen,” he said, adding that he was “so glad God gave me a chance to be a Buckeye.”
Sawyer appeared to be stunned when talking about how he and his teammates came back to school in order to win the national championship.
NOTRE DAME’S RILEY LEONARD POINTS TO FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE AFTER SCORING OPENING TD IN NATIONAL TITLE GAME
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, #18, and defensive end Jack Sawyer, #33, celebrate with the university’s president Ted Carter, middle, after the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game against Texas on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
“This is the best feeling I’ve ever felt in my life. This is exactly what we had envisioned when we all decided to come back – to go out and do it this way and end on this note,” he said.
“We just thank God for giving us the ability to go out and here and do it, through the ups and the downs. He was with us on our side and we knew that. Overcame the adversity and, man, this just feels so good.”
Cody Simon was named the Defensive MVP of the game. He put faith first as well.
“The Lord did something special on this team and we’re just so thankful,” Simon said. “Everyone on this team, we all bought in. I love every guy out here – put the work in this whole year.”
Both teams’ faith was on full display coming into the championship.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard suggested before the game it was the players’ beliefs in God that guided them to the national title game.
“I truly think things happen for a reason. Not only us, but Ohio State as well. I think we’re the two main teams to just publicly display our faith the most,” he said, via Sports Michiana. “I don’t know if this is some divine teaching, you know, who put us here.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, #13, passes under pressure from Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon, #0, during the second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
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“I truly believe that Jesus was looking over both our shoulders throughout the whole season and put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason.”
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