Following their thrilling national championship victory over Notre Dame, Ohio State Buckeyes standouts Will Howard and Jack Sawyer expressed their gratitude to God. Both players were instrumental in the Buckeyes' playoff run, culminating in a 34-23 win in the title game. Howard delivered two touchdown passes and a crucial third-down completion to Jeremiah Smith to seal the victory, while Sawyer contributed three tackles in the championship game and a pivotal scoop-and-score touchdown in the semifinal against Texas.

Amid the post-game celebration, Howard, a transfer from Kansas State, was quick to credit his faith. "First and foremost, I have to give all the glory and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," he stated. "Without Him, I wouldn’t be here. I'm incredibly grateful for my teammates, my family, and everyone who supported me." He reiterated his faith upon receiving the Offensive MVP award, saying, "Before I say anything, I have to give all glory and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I'm so thankful God gave me the opportunity to be a Buckeye."

Sawyer, seemingly overwhelmed by the victory, reflected on the team's decision to return for another season with the championship as their goal. "This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever experienced," he shared. "This is precisely what we envisioned when we decided to come back. We’re grateful to God for giving us the strength to persevere through challenges. He was with us throughout, and we overcame adversity to achieve this incredible victory."

Defensive MVP Cody Simon also acknowledged his faith, stating, "The Lord has done something truly special with this team. We are so thankful. Every single person on this team bought in, and I love each and every one of them. We put in the work all year long."

The importance of faith was evident for both teams leading up to the game. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard had previously remarked on the role of faith in both teams' journeys to the championship game. He noted their public displays of faith and questioned whether a higher power had orchestrated their meeting in the title game. Leonard expressed his belief that "Jesus was looking over both our shoulders throughout the whole season and put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason."