McConaughey scolds ‘Not Cool’ Texas student section for bottle throwing

Saturday night at DKR didn’t quite go as Chris Del Conte and Jay Hartzell had envisioned when they planned the move to the Southeastern Conference a few years ago. While their goal was to create electric, high-stakes games with an intense atmosphere that embodies the SEC’s “It Just Means More” mentality, the evening took an unexpected turn — off the field — that resulted in a $250,000 fine for Texas.

I won’t dive into the stats breakdown of the game — you can find that analysis here — but what I want to address is the Texas student section’s unfortunate reaction during the match.

Frustration boiled over when an interception by the Longhorns was briefly nullified by a pass interference penalty, sparking upsetting reactions from fans at DKR. Fans, particularly in the north end zone, began throwing water bottles and other debris onto the field in protest as the officials reviewed and eventually overturned the call.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian quickly intervened, making his way to the opposite 10-yard line to directly address the north endzone. With a simple yet firm plea — “Stop, stop” — he urged fans to halt the disruptive behavior, following up with a grateful “Thank you.” Meanwhile, over two dozen Texas staff members rushed onto the field to clear the debris as the game continued.

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey and conference staff were present at DKR Stadium on Saturday, where the SEC issued a statement upholding the officiating crew’s decision to overturn a penalty.

On Sunday morning, the conference addressed the incident involving the student section, mandating that Texas use all available resources—including security, stadium surveillance, and television footage—to identify individuals who threw objects onto the field. Those found responsible will be banned from attending Texas athletics events for the remainder of the 2024-25 academic year, and the university must review its alcohol availability policies.

The SEC also reminded Texas that it has the authority to suspend the school’s alcohol privileges under league bylaws, though it has chosen not to do so at this time.

“The throwing of debris and the resulting interruption of play that occurred Saturday night cannot be tolerated at any SEC event,” Commissioner Sankey said in a statement. “The SEC is tasked with enforcing sportsmanship and game management policies, and these actions align with that responsibility, including the financial penalty and mandated reviews.”

Shortly after the SEC issued its statement, University of Texas President Jay Hartzell responded, condemning the behavior of students who threw debris onto the field. “Throwing debris onto the field for any reason, including displeasure with an officiating call, poses a safety risk and is entirely unacceptable,” Hartzell said. “A sizable number of our students endangered others and embarrassed Longhorn Nation by throwing bottles and trash. These actions created a poor impression on our new SEC colleagues, including Georgia, and damaged the university’s reputation on a national stage.”

Head Coach Steve Sarkisian echoed the sentiments of UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife, President Hartzell, and Athletic Director Chris Del Conte, who released a joint statement condemning the behavior and issuing apologies. Sarkisian, who was critical of the actions following the game, reinforced his stance on Monday. “I know that we’ve got a passionate fanbase, and I think that showed Saturday night,” Sarkisian said. “We don’t want that to be the narrative that that’s what DKR is all about. It was too good of a football game for that to be the focal point of it all. I think in the end they got it [the penalty reversal] right.”

University of Texas’ “Minister of Culture,” Matthew McConaughey, addressed Longhorn Nation on social media Monday, weighing in on the incident that continued to draw attention into the new college football week. Posting on Twitter, McConaughey called the students’ behavior “not cool” and a “bogey move,” reminding fans that “Longhorn Nation is better than that.”

McConaughey, who graduated from Texas in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in Radio, TV, and Film, has been a prominent figure in the university’s culture. He was named “Minister of Culture” in 2019 and has since taught several courses at Texas, often referred to as one of Texas’s most prominent alumni.

Texas students who threw objects onto the field are facing significant repercussions, with their Big Ticket privileges likely to be revoked for the remainder of the academic year. However, it remains unclear whether additional penalties will be imposed. Despite rumors circulating that students have already received messages informing them of their ban, a university spokesperson confirmed to beat writers that no such actions have been taken yet.

According to the source, the university has not made any official decisions but has been advised by the SEC to take all necessary measures to address the incident. For now, the students remain in limbo. There’s no set timeline for a decision, but with the next home game at DKR not until November 9th, there’s still time. Meanwhile, the Longhorns will head to Vanderbilt, looking to improve their 2-1 conference record and settle tensions within the SEC.

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: McConaughey scolds ‘Not Cool’ Texas student section for bottle throwing