Salvaging Victory Out of the Jaws of Adversity

Buckeye players grasp the 2024 national championship trophy.

One of the things I enjoy most about watching sports is they serve as a microcosm for what we experience in everyday life. ABC’s Wide World of Sports called it, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” Exhilarating ups and devastating downs, sometimes back-to-back. 

A recent example was the Ohio State Buckeyes’ 34-23 triumph over Notre Dame for the college football national championship Monday night. Regardless of whether you’re an OSU fan, a fan of college football, a sports fan in general, or have no interest in sports, that game – and what led up to it – have lessons for us all.

 

Ohio State’s resounding victory came just seven weeks after a humiliating defeat against archrival Michigan. Despite being more than 20-point favorites to win, the Buckeyes had lost, 13-10. For those passionate about the Scarlet and Gray, it was tantamount to having their identity stolen or seeing their new car driven off a cliff.

 

If it was painful for so-called Buckeye Nation, it was even more so for head coach Ryan Day and the players who had devoted the preceding 365 days preparing for that game. Some crazed fans called for Day’s firing. However, the team rallied around one another – and especially their embattled coach. They hit the Pause button for a moment, then hit Fast Forward.

 

The Buckeyes turned this adversity, their own agony of defeat, into unwavering resolve. In The Wright Brothers, a biography about the famous brothers of flight, author David McCullough observed that adversity “often can be exactly what you need to give you a lift higher.” This proved true for Ohio State.

 

One underlying factor was the faith in Jesus Christ many of them embraced. Leading up to the season, several of the players led a revival service attended by several thousand OSU students, not just athletes. Numerous attendees declared first-time professions of faith. Some were even baptized.

 

During the season, players regularly gathered for chapel services and Bible studies. When interviewed, a number of them boldly proclaimed their faith in Christ – not for victories but for enabling them to endure and overcome the rigors of a demanding season. So, when the team suffered its highly improbably loss in arguably the greatest rivalry game in sports, rather than losing heart the Buckeyes circled the wagons and rededicated themselves to preparing for the post-season.

 

Their hard work, commitment, camaraderie – and faith – culminated in playoff victories over Tennessee, Oregon (which had narrowly defeated Ohio State at home early in the season), and Texas, and then the  championship win over the Fighting Irish. Afterward, many of the Buckeyes were quick to “give glory to God” and express their gratitude to Jesus Christ for the opportunities they experienced.

 

Ohio State had salvaged the ultimate victory in college football out of the jaws of adversity. As we learn from the Scriptures, adversity is an integral part of personal and spiritual growth. 

 

In Romans 5:3-5 the apostle Paul, no stranger himself to adversity, stated, “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit….”

 

We find a similar declaration from another apostle, James, who wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

 

Many other passages affirm the importance of adversity for becoming the people God wants us to be. Adversity isn’t something to be avoided, but to be embraced. Because as Romans 8:28 promises, “…we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

 

Following Ohio State’s championship victory, a sports commentator made another observation. He pointed to the selflessness displayed by Buckeye players and coaches. They all seemed willing to share the spotlight, even sacrifice playing time when necessary for the best interests of the team and their fellow players. The commentator cited a statement by Jesus Christ in Luke 14:11, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

 

About the eagerness of numerous Buckeyes to proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ, it’s heartening to see a growing openness among many, not only in the sports world but also in entertainment, politics, business and other arenas, to serves as witnesses for Christ. As His followers, that’s an important part of our calling.

 

Notably in 1 Samuel 2:30 God says, “…those that honor Me I will honor….” Giving honor and glory to the Lord doesn’t guarantee victory or success, and it shouldn’t be the motivation for doing so. But reading the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis, how God raised him up to positions of authority after going through great adversity, I saw this principle underscored.

 

Sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph was bought by a high-ranking Egyptian officer. Over time Joseph earned the officer’s trust and was put in charge of his entire household. “The Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph” (Genesis 39:5). Later, after being imprisoned for a false accusation, Joseph gained the favor of the prison warden, who gave him authority over all the prisoners. We’re told, “…the Lord was with him, and the Lord made everything that he did successful” (Genesis 39:23).

 

Finally, after God enabled Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s troubling dream, the Egyptian king declared, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as intelligent and wise as you. You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands” (Genesis 41:39-40). In one way or another, the Lord promises to honor those who honor Him.

The Perfect Purpose of Perseverance

Seems that in some quarters, perseverance has become a dirty word. In our instant gratification world, with “I want it – and I want it now!” the prevailing mantra, we don’t like waiting. We don’t want to waste time persevering in the pursuit of something that’s slow in coming.

 

Imagine if, instead of persevering, the early explorers had quit at the first hint of adversity. Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan and Marco Polo all would have returned home, declaring, “Nothing to see there. Move along.” (And think of the loss for kids that play hide and seek in pools every summer, shouting “Marco…Polo!”)

 

Same applies for Lewis and Clark, along with others who ventured out to see what they could find beyond the Mississippi River. There might never have been an Oregon Trail or a California gold rush. “Why keep trying? We’ve got it good right where we are. Perseverance is so overrated, anyway!”

 

Every great human accomplishment has come with great investments of time and sweat, in one way or another echoing the slogan, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”

 

As some of you know from my writings, I’m a huge Ohio State Buckeye fan. When I donated blood, the phlebotomists were always amazed to see it come out Scarlet and Gray. But in more than 50 years of following the triumphs and travails of the Buckeyes, I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a more moving moment than what occurred just a few weeks ago.

 

Columbus Dispatch photo
of Kamryn Babb after his
milestone TD reception.

A backup wide receiver, Kamryn Babb, caught a touchdown pass late in a game to cap off the day’s scoring. No big deal, right? Except for those who have followed Babb’s star-crossed career, it was a big deal. The fifth-year senior at OSU had suffered one debilitating knee injury after another, keeping the once-promising athlete off the field. His seemingly inconsequential TD reception also happened to be the first pass he had caught over his entire career.

When Babb caught the pass, his teammates exploded with excitement and fans rejoiced, knowing how he had persevered and rehabbed after each of four ACL tears, one while still in high school and three after joining the Buckeyes. Interviewed after the game, Babb admitted there were times when he felt like quitting, that his dreams of being a high-level collegiate wide receiver would never be realized.

 

However, determination and even more important, his faith, prevailed. “Some people will say, OK, four ACLs, it’s time to give up,” he said. “But I know the God I serve, so I look at it as, ‘Why not me?’”

 

The player, elected a team captain despite having played only a small number of snaps on special teams, had finally experienced a big personal moment on a huge, nationally televised stage. There is no way to measure the impact of his relentless perseverance on his coaches and teammates who witnessed his struggles every day in practice.

 

C.J. Stroud, the quarterback who threw the eight-yard touchdown pass to Babb, said after the game, “He’s the most respected on our team, and I’m super proud of him…. This team, we’re behind him, and he’s behind us.” 

 

Dedication and determination played a big part in Babb’s achievement, momentary as it was. But in interview after interview, the first thing he always did was give glory to God, noting his conviction that whether he ever basked in Buckeye glory or not, he still trusted in “Jesus Christ, my Lord, my Savior, my God,” as he states on his Instagram page.

 

Perseverance is a recurring theme in the Scriptures, stating it’s not an option but an integral part of life for everyone who follows Jesus. As Romans 5:2-3 tells us, “…we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

 

James 1:2-4 declares much the same, admonishing us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We might not be called by God to strive for athletic stardom or achieve public acclaim in some other endeavor. But in our walk with Christ, we are assured that if we are faithful to persevere, so that we will become “mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Not only that, but we never know who’s watching as we persevere, walking by faith. 

Event + Response = Outcome Revisited

Before the season started, Braxton Miller (right) was Ohio State's
starting quarterback, J.T. Barrett (center) was the backup, and 
Cardale Jones (left) was just hoping to see some playing time.

I don’t often write about sports here, but I enjoy how principles that undergird athletic success correlate to virtually every aspect of everyday life. Yes, boorish, ”look at me” behavior displayed by some athletes can be hard to take, but glowing examples of perseverance and determination to triumph over adversity touch our hearts.

Imagine this unlikely scenario: Before the season, a highly regarded college football team loses its star quarterback for the season due to injury. A key defensive player is suspended due to substance abuse and doesn’t see the field all year. The star running back suffers a broken hand he must deal with throughout the season.

Urban Meyer and MVP running back Ezekiel Elliott
celebrate the triumphant end to a very unlikely season.

In its second game of the season, the young, inexperienced team suffers a devastating loss to an inferior foe at home, and weeks later must forge an incredible comeback to record a double-overtime victory with its second-string quarterback scoring two touchdowns despite a sprained knee.

A well-liked walk-on player dies tragically. Then, in the final regular season game against its hated foe, the now star (former second-string) quarterback sustains a broken ankle, forcing the third-string quarterback to step into a pressure-packed, must-win situation.

This young man, who previously had seen only limited action, not only finishes that game but also leads the team to the conference title, then excels during both the College Football Playoff semifinal and championship game victories.

In all likelihood, not even Hollywood would consider a movie script with such an unlikely storyline. “Too unbelievable!” they would say. And yet, that was the story of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who overcame all of the above – and more – to be crowned college football’s national champions by dominating Big Ten foe Wisconsin, SEC champion Alabama, and finally, Oregon and its Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Cardale Jones, a 6-5, 250-pound giant of a quarterback, rose from obscurity to fame in the blink of an eye, probably setting a record for shortest transition from “who’s he?” to “Who’s Who.”

Before the season, the OSU players, head coach Urban Meyer and his assistant coaches had met with business consultants Tim Kight and his son, Brian, to learn important lessons in team building. One of the principles involved an equation, E (Event) + R (Response) = O (Outcome). Last August, none of them could have imagined the array of overwhelming events they would have to respond to or what the outcomes would be. But through those circumstances they gained enduring lessons on the value of perseverance and willingness to tackle adversity head-on.

The Bible states, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). During the 2014 season the Buckeyes indeed faced trials of many kinds, and the testing of their faith – in each other, their coaches, and for some, their God – developed great perseverance and maturity.

Most of us will never play on a national championship team of any kind, but we will certainly encounter a variety of trials in life. The question is, will we allow our faith to be tested – to reveal what we truly believe – and enable us to develop perseverance that will serve us not only in this life, but also the life to come?