The Christian Revival Sweeping College Football
A Christian revival appears to be sweeping college football in recent months, with many prominent players speaking publicly about their faith in Christ. In August 2024, several Ohio State Buckeyes helped put together a massive on-campus event where they shared the Gospel with between 800-1,000 attendees. During the event, an estimated 60 people openly gave their lives to Christ and were baptized.
Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, and former wide receiver Kamryn Babb, among other players, helped initiate the event.
According to Ohio State's school newspaper, The Lantern, Egbuka acknowledged that bringing the Word of God to those who may not have otherwise heard it made the event a success.
"We were just hoping that tonight [people] would come with an open mind and a tender heart," Egbuka stated. "And just be able to receive…the truth of the Gospel and what Jesus thinks about [them]. And if that's all they left with today, then it was a mission success because we just want to let the world know the truth."
Other players wanted people to know that they were more than just football players.
"Just being able to allow people to understand that we are more than football players, and there's more that goes into our [lives]…is what it's all about," Tuimoloau said. "I don't think anything I accomplish on that field compares to what is happening right now."
His teammate, Henderson, echoed the sentiment.
"Whatever I've done…this right here, what God is doing, is so much more important and so much bigger," Henderson said.
In early January 2025, Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard publicly gave the praise to Jesus for his game's victory in an ESPN post-game interview.
"First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, I wouldn't be here, and we wouldn't be here as a whole group," Leonard stated.
Similarly, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in an NBC interview in January 2025 credited Christ for his ability to stay calm during games despite being a rookie.
"Trust in the Lord God," Daniels explained. "There's nothing I should worry about. I put all my worries on Him, and, you know, He'll take care of the rest."
In fact, so many players have publicly proclaimed Jesus Christ as their Savior, sports magazine, Sports Spectrum tweeted out a great mashup including many of the moments caught on camera.
How great has it been to see so many in college football praising Jesus these last few weeks? pic.twitter.com/9xBt33E8Ir
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) January 15, 2025
Considering the great skill of these players and the tremendous amount of attention paid to them for their abilities, pride and ego could be an easy trap for many of them. However, instead of assigning honor and esteem to themselves, they've chosen to glorify Jesus and credit Him for their talents and capabilities.
Their actions are in line with Scripture and reflect the kind of humility the Word teaches us to portray.
Revelation 4:11 teaches that it is God alone who deserves all glory and honor for all things, for everything that exists, including our talents, was created and is sustained by His hand alone.
"You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created."
It's also quite noteworthy to mention the bravery of the players. Their acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as their King in a world where doing so is unpopular to say the least shows a type of courage that our current culture and climate is desperately lacking.
"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." Hebrews 10:39
Photo Credit: ©X/Caroline Rice
Vicky has written news articles on topics including human trafficking, Supreme Court rulings, politics, Christian persecution, the economy, social issues, and much more. She loves to learn and earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from DePaul University. When she’s not tackling the current news cycle or interviewing someone for a story, you can probably find her writing poetry, taking pictures, or spending time with her husband. Vicky loves music, concerts, and all things Paris. You can find more of Vicky’s articles, scholarly papers, and even some of her poetic reflections at https://vlarias7.journoportfolio.com/
Originally published January 31, 2025.
