Overview:
RJ Oben, son of NFL Tremendous Bowl champion Roman Oben, made his first School Soccer Playoff (CFP) Nationwide Championship look with the Notre Dame Preventing Irish. Regardless of a hard-fought loss to Ohio State, RJ’s defensive efficiency and contributions all through the season solidified his legacy as a standout participant in his school soccer profession.
ATLANTA— Underneath the glowing lights of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with greater than 77,000 followers roaring in attendance, RJ Oben took the sector for the 2025 School Soccer Playoff (CFP) Nationwide Championship Recreation. For the Cameroonian and Haitian American defensive standout, the night time was each a profession milestone and a possibility to etch his identify into Notre Dame’s storied historical past.
From a distance, the stands have been a vibrant combine of colours, with Notre Dame college students and alumni proudly displaying their faculty spirit in shades of inexperienced, gold, and white, whereas Ohio State followers crammed the stadium with pink and black. The 2 hanging shade schemes crammed the stadium, making a vigorous and festive environment.
Regardless of a valiant effort by RJ and the Preventing Irish, Notre Dame fell quick to the Ohio State Buckeyes, dropping 34-23 in a hard-fought battle. The loss marked the top of RJ’s school soccer profession, however his contributions all through the season, and significantly within the postseason, solidified his legacy.
RJ, who wears No. 9, made an early influence within the sport. Throughout the first quarter, he relentlessly pressured Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, forcing rushed throws and disrupting the Buckeyes’ offensive rhythm. It was the form of efficiency that outlined RJ’s season—persistently stepping up within the largest moments.
RJ grew up immersed in soccer, watching his father, Roman Oben, dominate within the NFL. Roman, born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and raised within the U.S., was an offensive lineman on the College of Louisville earlier than being drafted by the New York Giants within the third spherical of the 1996 NFL Draft. He loved a 12-year skilled profession, highlighted by profitable a Tremendous Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003—two years after RJ was born.
“My dad performed for a very long time rising up, that was the primary time I used to be actually uncovered to the sport,” RJ informed The Haitian Occasions two days earlier than the sport throughout media day. Gamers have been proudly sporting faculty satisfaction in sweaters contained in the freezing conference middle, hanging out with their teammates between media interviews.
“I spent a whole lot of time watching him, studying it extra and loving it extra as I acquired older. I didn’t begin taking part in till seventh grade, and from then on I grew to become keen about it.”
RJ’s mom, although born in Manhattan, traces her roots again to Jacmel, Haiti. Her Haitian heritage has been central to RJ’s id, and he usually credit his numerous background for shaping his character each on and off the sector.
RJ has been pivotal to Notre Dame’s success this yr, serving to the staff safe victories within the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl on their highway to the nationwide championship sport. He additionally performed a key function in Notre Dame’s protection throughout this system’s first-ever look within the newly expanded 12-team School Soccer Playoff format.
This historic season marked the primary time groups fought for a nationwide title underneath the brand new playoff construction, which expanded from 4 groups to 12. Notre Dame made historical past as one of many first applications to compete within the new format.
For RJ, the stakes have been excessive proven by his depth on the sector throught the sport. This was his ultimate alternative to win a nationwide championship, as NCAA laws permit gamers 5 years of educational eligibility to finish 4 seasons of competitors. Together with his eligibility now full, RJ will put together for the following chapter in his soccer profession.
The championship sport carried added weight for Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, who’s in his third yr main this system. Freeman, who’s African American and Korean American, entered the sport hoping to observe within the footsteps of 4 earlier Notre Dame coaches who all gained titles of their third season.
Nevertheless, the loss broke that streak, as Freeman—who as soon as performed linebacker for Ohio State within the early 2000s—fell wanting delivering a championship to the Preventing Irish.
“He’s a coach gamers like to play for, guys are fired as much as get up day-after-day to go to work on the sector,” RJ stated of Freeman.
Freeman was fast to reward RJ’s contributions to the staff, calling him a key consider Notre Dame’s success this season.
“He’s been nice! RJ doesn’t converse rather a lot, however he works his tail off, and on the largest moments, he’s proven up,” Freeman stated. “He’s a giant cause why we’re on this place. He’s been doing an important, nice job for our protection, making massive performs. You take a look at the play he made versus Georgia, we’re going to wish him to play massive versus Ohio State to have success.”
Although the season didn’t finish with a championship, RJ leaves Notre Dame with a résumé to be happy with. This yr alone, he began in all three postseason video games after the New 12 months, serving to the staff to victories within the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl.
RJ’s journey to Notre Dame was additionally vital. As a switch, he rapidly earned a beginning function and have become a standout defensive participant in his first yr with the staff.
As RJ displays on his time at Notre Dame, he now appears to be like forward to what’s subsequent—whether or not that’s pursuing alternatives in skilled soccer or persevering with to make strides off the sector.