Bryce Harper isn’t just a fan of baseball, but of football too! The Phillies player showed his admiration for college football by attending the Championship Game between Ohio State and Notre Dame. Whom did Bryce cheer for? Of course the Ohio State. Not that the player himself has any connection but his wife Kayla does. Kayla Harper played football for that very team her husband was cheering a long time ago. 

Not only Bryce Harper and his wife, but many notable celebrities from different industries were present to witness the game. LeBron James was there and so was Travis Scott. While James was there to show support for the same team as Harper, Scott was apparently a fan of the rival team. James played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. 

Before the game kicked off, two legends from Ohio State and Notre Dame took center stage. Archie Griffin, the only player to win the Heisman Trophy twice (1974 and ’75), stood proudly alongside the one and only Jerome Bettis, a former Notre Dame star and a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee. The Rev. Bernice King, Dr. King’s youngest daughter was also in attendance.    

If the celeb-flooded game wasn’t enough to make this game special, the college game was the first time the national championship game was played on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. And to make it even more special, it also fell on the day of a presidential inauguration. Earlier in the day, Bernice King had delivered a powerful message at a service in Atlanta, warning against anti-woke rhetoric.   

Bryce Harper’s love for Ohio State is no secret 

While Bryce Harper’s a Vegas native and made his mark on the baseball world in the big leagues, his heart seems to have a special place for the Buckeyes. The MLB superstar has found himself at multiple Ohio State events this season, including a memorable appearance on a FOX Sports pregame show in Columbus back in October. Harper had explained last year that he has no direct ties to the university—except for one: his wife.     

Kayla’s athletic journey began long before she became the wife of a baseball legend. A proud graduate of Green Valley High School in Nevada, Kayla carved out her own legacy as a football star—a trailblazer in a sport traditionally dominated by men. Kayla didn’t just play the game, she excelled at it. According to PEOPLE, she earned the prestigious team MVP title not once, but back-to-back from 2009 to 2011, showcasing her natural athletic ability and leadership on the field. But her achievements didn’t stop there. By the time she graduated in 2011, she held the record for the highest career assist in Nevada state. 

After leaving Green Valley High School, Kayla Harper didn’t just hang up her cleats. The athlete headed to Brigham Young University, where she continued her football career. Kayla played both the 2011 and 2012 seasons with BYU. But in her junior year, Kayla made the bold decision to transfer to none other than Ohio State University. At Ohio State, Kayla showed the same competitive fire that had made her a football standout.