For the second year in a row, Ohio State University (OSU) football players shared the gospel during a campus event filled with praise music, prayer, and baptisms. On Monday evening (Sept. 8), about 2,000 people attended “Fall Kickoff: An Invitation to Jesus,” listening to athletes’ testimonies and committing or recommitting to the Christian faith.
Turnout doubled from last year, with numerous student organizations and faith traditions participating. During this year’s revival, about 50 people were baptized—including two football players. Several former OSU players also returned to the Columbus, Ohio, campus to talk about Jesus and encourage young people to follow him.
Following the 2024 kickoff celebration, OSU’s football team continued to shine Christ’s light by kneeling to pray on the field. After the Buckeyes went on to win the national championship in January, ESPN’s Scott van Pelt suggested that the players’ faith in God and in one another may have played a role.
Ohio State Athletes Host Another Faith Event
At this fall’s kickoff event, current and former OSU football players led a panel talk before offering an invitation to get baptized. Sonny Styles, a 20-year-old linebacker, said he and his teammates are “blessed with a platform.” Believers in Jesus are “called to lead in the right direction,” he said, “and that’s what God’s trying to do” through the athletes.
Caleb Downs, a 20-year-old safety at OSU, said the faith-filled players know their strength comes from God. “Humanly, our power is not enough,” he said. “The glory that we think we have is not enough.” Downs added, “No play we make on the field—no touchdown, no interception—can compare to the kingdom of God.”
RELATED: Worship, Salvations, and Baptisms! Ohio State Football Players Host Faith Event on Campus
Participants told reporters they showed up to experience Christian unity and to hear star athletes humble themselves and focus on God. A transfer student indicated that the revival was unique, saying, “This is definitely not something that athletes typically do.”
Members of the Ohio State football team are holding their second Fall Kickoff “An invitation to Jesus”.
Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Luke Montgomery and many other Buckeyes are talking with hundreds about their Faith journey.
A night of fellowship, baptism, unity and testimony: pic.twitter.com/nWCLFDgJDe
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) September 8, 2025
Another participant said it was cool to see the football players up close, without their gear, “just talking about the Lord.” He loved seeing the athletes “coming out here and just saying, ‘I’m a guy, too, that worships the Lord and loves him.’”
OSU student Lucas Torres said he appreciated the message behind the event. He said:
I think sometimes in the culture, Christianity is perceived as kind of like a weak or pushover religion, but I hope that kind of through events like this, it’s shown that Christianity and excellence actually go hand in hand, and Christianity and success and just striving for greatness even in like a worldly sense, go hand in hand, because the Lord calls us to do difficult and great things.
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