Donald Trump is betting on college football to help Republicans win the 2026 midterm elections. With November 3 approaching, the president is recruiting some of Texas’ biggest football names to reach young male voters who helped him win in 2024 but might not turn out when he isn’t on the ballot.
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According to an October 26 Axios report, former college football stars Johnny Manziel and Colt McCoy, alongside two-time Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola, will join Trump for campaign appearances in Lubbock and Corpus Christi on Tuesday, October 27.
It’s a political Hail Mary in the Lone Star State, and the numbers explain why Trump is making the move.
According to a Tufts University analysis cited by Axios, Trump won men under 30 by 14 points in 2024. However, a Harvard Youth Poll released last week found Democrats leading Republicans by 26 percentage points among young men who say they will definitely vote in November.
That’s a significant warning sign for Republicans. The party is already pouring millions into advertisements during NFL and college football games, hoping to reach voters who might otherwise ignore traditional political campaigns.
And Trump’s Texas lineup covers three major college football fan bases.
There’s Johnny “Football” Manziel, the 33-year-old former Texas A&M quarterback and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner who remains one of the Aggies’ most recognizable names.
Then there’s 40-year-old Colt McCoy, the Texas Longhorns legend and former NFL quarterback. McCoy was also appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by Governor Greg Abbott in January 2026.
Rounding out the trio is 40-year-old Danny Amendola, the former Texas Tech wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots. His Red Raiders roots make him particularly relevant to Trump’s scheduled appearance in Lubbock.
Trump is scheduled to address supporters at the Port of Corpus Christi at 2 p.m., followed by remarks at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center at 6 p.m. Central. According to KCBD, the Lubbock event begins at 4:30 p.m., with doors opening at 2:30 p.m.
The visit marks Trump’s fourth trip to Texas in two months. He’s also campaigning for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, who faces Democrat James Talarico in the November 3 election. The Lubbock rally is intended to support Paxton’s campaign.
But Texas is only one part of a much bigger campaign strategy.
Trump Turns College Football Into a Political Playbook
Throughout the fall, Trump has made football a recurring feature of his political appearances. He attended the Texas-Tennessee game in September and planned to attend the Georgia-Alabama showdown earlier this month before canceling because of a hurricane.
Former NFL coach Jon Gruden also joined Trump at an Ohio rally, while former Georgia and NFL running back Todd Gurley accompanied him during a campaign stop in Georgia.
Even Vice President JD Vance has participated. A lifelong Cincinnati Bengals fan, Vance visited the team’s practice facility last week while campaigning in Ohio.
And according to one Trump adviser, the president sees football as a natural fit for his political outreach.
“Trump has many bases. And football is one of them, college and pros,” the adviser told Axios. “The response is good. And the president loves the atmosphere. So why not?”
But here’s the catch. Football stars can attract excited fans, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll turn up at polling stations.
Manziel, McCoy, and Amendola bring star power and loyal fan bases to the campaign. Whether that translates into votes is another question entirely.
On November 3, Republicans will find out whether their football-centered strategy delivers results beyond the stadium.