The stars are out at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the College Football Playoff championship game, including one of baseball's premier players.
Phillies star Bryce Harper was spotted cheering on Ohio State as the game got underway, and it's not the first time he's been seen rooting for the Buckeyes despite not being from Ohio.
Here's what you need to know about Harper's longstanding Ohio State connection.
SN's PLAYOFF HQ: Live CFP scores | Updated CFP bracket | Full CFP schedule
Why is Bryce Harper an Ohio State fan?
Harper is from Nevada and never played for Ohio State, but he's a long-time Buckeyes fan because his wife, Kayla, played soccer at the university.
"She's the real Buckeye. I'm just kind of honorary," Harper said on the Big Ten Network set in 2023.
"I love this team. I love the way they fight. I love the way they go about it."
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 18, 2023
🗣 @bryceharper3, on No. 2 @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/Nvv1wMVQ5A
Still, Harper admitted he's even more vocal than his wife in supporting Ohio State. "I'm the lunatic. I sit on the couch, I go nuts," Harper said, explaining that his wife stays even-keeled when watching the Buckeyes.
Harper has been spotted at a handful of Ohio State sporting events over the years, from the 2016 Fiesta Bowl (against Notre Dame, ironically enough) to Ohio State vs. Kentucky in men's basketball.
Harper first got engaged to his wife more than a decade ago, and the two have been married for just over eight years. That's long enough for the former phenom to form quite a passion for the Buckeyes.
Where is Bryce Harper from?
Harper was born in Las Vegas and lives in Henderson, Nevada, in the offseason. He's made homes for himself in both Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia during his two-time MVP career, but he doesn't have direct ties to Ohio beyond his wife.
MORE: Why LeBron James is an Ohio State fan
Where did Bryce Harper go to college?
Harper took a unique path to professional baseball, as he graduated high school by earning his GED in late 2009 and reclassified to become eligible for the 2010 MLB Draft. In the meantime, Harper spent the 2010 season at the junior college level.
Harper's one collegiate season came at the College of Southern Nevada, where he hit .443 with 31 home runs in only 66 games to cement himself as the clear-cut No. 1 pick in the draft. Had Harper gone to a four-year college, he would have had to spend three years at that level before entering the MLB Draft.
A Nevadan who took up residence on the east coast once he reached the majors, the "honorary Buckeye" Harper could witness his adopted school win a national championship Monday.