Glen Powell never graduated from college, but now he is Zooming into Texas classes from Hollywood sets while playing a fake quarterback in Eli Manning’s new comedy series. Life has a funny way of coming full circle.
The “Top Gun: Maverick” star left Texas 15 years ago to chase his acting dreams. Today, he is not only back on campus finishing his degree but also partnering with the two-time Super Bowl champion on “Chad Powers,” a show about a disguised walk-on quarterback trying to make a college football team.
Did Glen Powell Actually Graduate From Texas?
Glen Powell attended UT Austin’s Moody College of Communication but left at 19 to pursue acting after landing a role in Denzel Washington’s “The Great Debaters.” However, in 2024, he announced his return to complete his undergraduate degree in Spanish and Early American History.
The actor currently balances his Hollywood career with coursework through a hybrid learning approach. While filming “The Running Man” in London, Powell attends classes via Zoom but returns to Austin a couple of times per semester for proctored exams.
“I think it’s really important to my mom, and it’s more of an emotional thing for me,” Powell told The Hollywood Reporter about completing his degree. “Plus, I’m so close, I can taste it.” According to UT graduation projections, Powell could complete his degree by 2026.
While chasing his own diploma, Powell is also changing the lives of current players. In August 2025, he surprised the Texas football team by announcing a full scholarship for walk-on linebacker Marshall Landwehr during a team meeting.
Glen Powell sent a message to University of Texas LB Marshall Landwehr awarding him with a scholarship.
Glen Powell is also a University of Texas alumni.
pic.twitter.com/C4jr0mjxIF— Nexus Point News (@NexusPointNews) August 6, 2025
“Marshall, your hard work has not gone unnoticed. That’s why Texas is giving you a scholarship,” Powell said via video message.
How Did Powell Connect With Eli Manning for the “Chad Powers” Show?
Powell’s connection to Eli Manning started with Manning’s wild 2022 stunt for his ESPN+ series, “Eli’s Places.” The former New York Giants quarterback put on a blonde wig and fake makeup to try out for Penn State as “Chad Powers,” a made-up walk-on. His throwing skills gave him away, but the video blew up, earning over nine million views.
That viral moment turned into Hulu’s “Chad Powers” comedy series, which will premiere on September 30.
Powell plays Russ Holliday, a washed-up quarterback who goes undercover to walk onto a bad Southern football team. Manning and his brother, Peyton, produce the show through their company, Omaha Productions.
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“I’ve been talking to him, working with him a little bit in the off-season, and to get him ready. And he’s fired up to play quarterback and to play Chad,” Eli Manning told Us Weekly about working with Powell.
“I AM Chad Powers” 🤣
Watch @glenpowell on The Eli Manning Show: https://t.co/64VVwiJsDz pic.twitter.com/tGGEsRPHy4
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 23, 2024
Everything seems to be happening at once for the actor. As his Manning collaboration hits screens and Texas starts the season ranked No. 1 with QB Arch Manning, Eli’s nephew, under center, Powell is set for a busy fall, wrapping up his long-delayed degree at UT-Austin.