Something unexpected is happening inside one of America’s biggest college football programs, and it has nothing to do with rankings or playoff brackets.
During a recent interview, CBN’s Raj Nair sat down with Ohio State national champion Gee Scott Jr. to talk about a revival movement sweeping through the Buckeyes locker room—one marked by transformed lives, bold faith and a sincerity that can’t be manufactured.
Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!
Scott didn’t try to dress it up with slogans or strategy. He described what he and his teammates witnessed: a genuine change taking root in the heart of a Division I powerhouse. He said it began quietly, long before cameras caught players wearing “Jesus Won” shirts or speaking openly about their faith. According to him, the real story isn’t the public moments. It’s the internal ones.
Scott explained that players began to notice things in each other that couldn’t be chalked up to maturity or discipline. Teammates who once lived one way were now living another, and the shift was so pronounced that players who had known each other for years could barely recognize the men standing before them. He called these changes “undeniable,” describing them as something no person could have orchestrated.
What makes the story compelling is how widespread it became. From household names to role players, athletes across the roster began sharing their personal stories. The testimonies sparked curiosity, then participation, and eventually a kind of momentum that carried the team well beyond Xs and Os. Scott said it wasn’t about hype or attention. It was about honoring the one they believed had turned their lives around.
Nair, who once covered the team as a college reporter, noted that moments like this aren’t entirely new for the Buckeyes. He recalled earlier seasons marked by similar sparks of spiritual hunger. Still, the breadth of what happened in 2024 stood out to him. He described feeling chills as he watched the program he loves find renewed purpose.
That story is now being told in a documentary titled “Redemption,” which highlights the sweeping revival inside the team as well as the individual journeys that shaped it. Scott said the film, releasing on Amazon Prime, captures the heart of what unfolded in Columbus over the past year.
Near the end of the conversation, Nair asked Scott what message he would offer to the fan or student who keeps hearing about this movement but doesn’t know what to make of it. Scott didn’t hesitate. His answer came quickly, and he said he felt the words forming before the question finished.
In paraphrased form, here is what he urged seekers to do:
- Don’t rely on secondhand stories.
Explore the truth for yourself rather than taking someone else’s experience as your own. - Be honest about where you are.
Whether strong in faith, struggling or unsure, start from your real place. - Seek the One who brings rest.
Bring your burdens, your questions and your weariness to the only source of lasting peace. - Look beyond temporary escapes.
Set aside the distractions that promise comfort but never satisfy, and pursue the One who offers more than a momentary lift.
Scott closed his remarks by encouraging anyone who feels the pull of curiosity to take one step forward. His message wasn’t polished or rehearsed. It was the voice of someone who has seen something too real to ignore.
Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!
What’s happening at Ohio State isn’t about a program, a brand or a trend. It’s a reminder that even in unexpected places, revival can break through. And when it does, it often starts the same way it did in this locker room—with a few willing hearts, a spark of curiosity and a message that spreads faster than anyone could have anticipated.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
