In a highly anticipated matchup on Saturday, the game between Michigan and Texas began with an on-field face-off featuring Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson and actor Matthew McConaughey. Woodson, a former Wolverines player from 1995 to 1997, proudly displayed the Michigan flag while McConaughey, a Texas alum, represented the Longhorns.
As No. 3 Texas aimed to snap No. 10 Michigan’s impressive 16-game unbeaten streak at the Big House, the atmosphere was electric with celebrity attendees. Among them was New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter, a Kalamazoo, Michigan native, who took on the role of honorary captain for Michigan.
Additionally, actor Will Ferrell was slated to appear on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” which was broadcast live from the Michigan campus.
This event marks another chapter in McConaughey’s attempts to boost the Longhorns’ morale for critical games. Colt McCoy, the former Texas quarterback who played from 2006 to 2009, recounted on The Pat McAfee Show that McConaughey had previously delivered an inspiring speech to the Texas locker room before the Rose Bowl during McCoy’s redshirt freshman year, which ultimately led to a victory over USC and the national title.
McConaughey was officially designated as Texas’s “Minister of Culture” in December 2018, reflecting his significant role within the university. Similarly, Woodson has cemented his legacy at Michigan after winning the Heisman Trophy in 1997, making him the first player in modern college football history to earn the prestigious award for his achievements on both offense and defense. Following his college career, he spent 18 seasons in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and the Green Bay Packers, retiring after his ninth Pro Bowl appearance in 2015.