American Idol Season 23 winner Jamal Roberts performed the national anthem at the 2026 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium.
On Monday, the 28-year-old Meridian, Mississippi, native delivered “The Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of the kickoff between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes. Roberts was accompanied by 18-year-old Maria Pernalete, who provided American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation.
A former physical education teacher at Crestwood Elementary School, Roberts rose to national prominence during his tenure on American Idol. His victory in the season finale was secured by a record-breaking 26 million votes, the highest total in the history of the television franchise.
Since his win, Roberts has established a significant presence in the gospel music industry. His debut single, “Heal,” reached number one on the Billboard Gospel charts, and he recently earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Gospel Performance/Song for his collaboration with artist Jonathan McReynolds. Currently, Roberts maintains an audience of over 115,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
The pregame program also included a performance of “America the Beautiful” by the Florida Memorial University Ambassador Chorale, with ASL interpretation provided by Brianna Therve.
The appearance at the CFP National Championship marks another high-profile milestone for Roberts as he continues to expand his career from his gospel roots into mainstream live entertainment.