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Shane Gillis isn’t fooling around right now.
With his beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish just 1 victory from their first national championship in 36 years, Gillis is asking God to take a break from all the other world’s issues and help deliver some needed glory to the team from South Bend.
Sure, Gillis appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay about a month ago at the start of the College Football Playoff, when the show was in South Bend to preview the Notre Dame-Indiana first-round game. That was a setting where the comedian, actor, and podcaster could let loose with some jokes at the expense of just about everyone. But right now, things are very serious for Gillis, with Notre Dame in the national title game for the first time since 2012 and facing Ohio State on Monday night in Atlanta.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and so Gillis has asked God to please help the underdog Fighting Irish slay the Buckeyes in an Under Armour ad that was released just in time for the big game.
“Hey, God. It’s me, Shane. I know I haven’t been here in a while, but I have a pretty big prayer for you,” the 37-year-old Gillis said in the ad. “Notre Dame is in the national championship on Monday. I know you know, because you’ve been with us the whole time — couple weeks ago, that field goal. I know you have a lot going on, so that was pretty chill you took time to help us with that
“I should also say I hath not bet on any of these games. … Alright, I have, I hath bet. But going forward, if Notre Dame wins, thou will not bet on games … for a month. Couple weeks. I’m probably going to bet on Sunday. Come on, God. I know you can help us. Trucking dudes. Pick-6’s everywhere. Maybe a couple Fumblerooskis! Just please let Notre Dame win a national championship.”
With that, Gillis had sent his plea, loud and clear. We’ll find out on Monday night what comes of all of it. Notre Dame is an 8.5-point underdog (via ESPN Bet). The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.