Matthew McConaughey wins Texas Longhorns win as Taylor Swift comparison sparks playoff controversy

Oh boy. The No. 5 seed Texas Longhorns put absolute pressure on Dabo Swinney and his Clemson in their first-round College Football Playoff game, proving their dominance with a 38-24 win at DKR Stadium. Steve Sarkisian’s team came out swinging, and this time the fans couldn’t shade Quinn Ewers. The guy put the ball out and went 17/24 for 200 yards, 1 touchdown and a pick. Restrained, solid. This W is the only value that counts today. But let’s be honest: Texas’ ground game did most of the heavy lifting. While fans should have all been excited for a clean dub, they needed someone to throw shade, right? Her anger found an unexpected target – Matthew McConaughey.

Okay, okay, okay – or maybe not. Matthew McConaughey may be the face of the Texas Longhorns fanbase, but fans were completely enthralled after he covered front and center in their 38-24 playoff win over Clemson. McConaughey was heavily criticized online for stealing the spotlight, with fans calling him the “Taylor Swift of college football.” Ouch. People said they were watching Steve Sarkisian’s troupe, not a one-man McConaughey show, and claimed he made every play about him. Love him or hate him. The Longhorns roll into the quarter against Kenny Dillingham’s ASU, but fans are already on their screens praying for less McConaughey.

Let’s face it: McConaughey is done a lot for the Longhorns. He helped with recruiting, inspired players and even got former Texas superstar Bijan Robinson a film appearance. The man is like the show’s cool uncle, always there to offer advice or encouraging words. He was also literally named UT’s cultural secretary in 2019, a title that essentially makes him the face of Longhorn spirit.

But with good vision comes great hindsight. Fans feel like McConaughey’s presence sometimes shifts the focus from the players to… him. Today’s game caused anger among fans. The internet’s patience has reached a breaking point. They had enough. Fans cheered him on Twitter.

Fans are throwing shade at Matthew McConaughey online for the media coverage he has received

Longhorn fans love to throw shade every week. The fans don’t have everything. They were fed up when they saw Matthew McConaughey getting more coverage than real players. The internet went wild. This is how it went:

This was the beginning of the hate trend. A fan has created a solid base of hatred against Matthew McConaughey. “Matthew McConaughey is the Taylor Swift of college football.” Taylor Swift has been catching walkers in her NFL appearances all season, and now McConaughey’s name is popping up in the same sentence. Fans were furious, saying his sideline activities overshadowed the actual game. Swift has Travis Kelce; McConaughey has the Longhorns – apparently the same energy.

The next fan came in and went beyond the football. “Okay, I want the Texas Longhorns eliminated because I’m tired of Matthew McConaughey’s butt kissing and coverage. I mean, when was the last time this guy made a decent movie anyway? Today’s coverage was as bad as Taylor Swift’s. Gag me.” Brutally. Not only did they come for McConaughey’s supporting gig, but they also trashed his acting career. When was the last time he dropped a banger? According to some fans, it’s been a while. “Matthew McConaughey believes he is both head coach and QB. What a star he is for this program and this city.” The man is known for his motivational speeches and his commitment to Texas football wherever he goes. But for some fans, his involvement energizes the “main character” – and not in a good way. They want less McConaughey and more, you know, football.

A fan chimed in, “At least Dabo Swinney met Matthew McConaughey. #CFBPlayoff.” Clemson fans had jokes after the loss. Last but not least, Dabo Swinney had his A-list celebrity moment. Silver lining, right? This Clemson fan took L bit personally, “Fire Dabo Swinney. They had no business not covering that. Also, have you all seen how much coverage Matthew McConaughey received? They treated him like a player. I was ready to call it quits.” It’s one thing to roast Dabo for the L, but the same energy went into ESPN’s McConaughey obsession. Treat him like a player? This is where the fans drew the line.

Look, the bottom line: The Longhorns now have Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State in their sights. It’s another high-risk duel for Sarkisian and his team. As for McConaughey? Don’t expect him to miss it. Love him or hate him, the man goes all out for Texas football. And let’s be honest: If the Longhorns win the championship, you’ll probably see McConaughey with the trophy in his hand… maybe even before Sarkisian.

Alright, alright, alright. Buckle up – this season is far from over.