March Madness

These celebrities will be cheering for the Florida Gators in the NCAA men’s basketball final

The Florida Gators take on the Houston Cougars in the NCAA final and they’ll have some big-name celebrities cheering them on.

The Florida Gators take on the Houston Cougars in the NCAA final and they’ll have some big-name celebrities cheering them on.
Grant Halverson
Jennifer Bubel
Sports journalist who grew up in Dallas, TX. Lover of all things sports, she got her degree from Texas Tech University (Wreck ‘em Tech!) in 2011. Joined Diario AS USA in 2021 and now covers mostly American sports (primarily NFL, NBA, and MLB) as well as soccer from around the world.
Update:

The University of Florida made a historic comeback to beat Auburn in the Final Four and will now face the University of Houston in the NCAA national championship. And they’ve got a lot of big-name celebrities on their side.

Several talented and well-known public figures are products of Florida, from athletes to broadcasters to musicians and business leaders. Here are some of the biggest names to call themselves Gators.

Famous Florida Gator alums

Emmitt Smith

Graduation year/degree: Left in 1989 after his junior year to join the NFL, but returned and got his bachelor’s degree in public relations in 1996

Why he’s famous: Dallas Cowboys running back and Hall of Famer - holds the NFL record in career rushing yards with 18,355

Tim Tebow

Graduation year/degree: 2009 - BA in family, youth, and community sciences

Why he’s famous: college football career with the Gators - first underclassman to win the Heisman Award; former NFL quarterback

Erin Andrews

Graduation year/degree: 2000 - BA in telecommunications

Why she’s famous: Fox Sports sideline reporter, formerly worked for ESPN, television personality

Bob Bryar

Graduation year/degree: 1990s - Bachelor’s in sound engineering

Why he’s famous: drummer for emo/punk band My Chemical Romance

Titus O’Neil (Thaddeus Bullard)

Graduation year/degree: 2000 - BA in sociology; 2001 - Master of Education, administrative education

Why he’s famous: Professional WWE wrestler and former arena football player

Chris Collinsworth

Graduation year/degree: 1981 - Bacherlor’s in accounting

Why he’s famous: TV commentator for Fox NFL Sunday and HBO’s Inside the NFL; former NFL wide receiver

Faye Dunaway

Years attended/Studies: Late 1950s, early 1960s - education; transferred to Boston University’s School of Fine and Applied Arts

Why she’s famous: Actress; breakout role as Bonnie Parker in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde”; won an Academy Award for the movie “Network” in 1977

Darrell Hammond

Graduation year/degree: 1978 - Bachelor of Science in advertising

Why he’s famous: Actor, comedian, impressionist, and announcer; best known for his role on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2009; has been an SNL announcer since 2014

Marshall Nirenberg

Graduation year/degree:1948 - Bachelor of Science; 1952 - Master of Science in zoology

Why he’s famous: Won the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine for cracking the genetic code and describing protein synthesis in 1968

Jesse Palmer

Graduation year/degree: 2001 - BA in political science and BS in marketing

Why he’s famous: TV commentator for ESPN and ABC; NFL Insider for TSN; former NFL quarterback; contestant and host on the ABC reality show “The Bachelor”

Stephen Root

Graduation year/degree: 1972 - Associate of Arts

Why he’s famous: Actor, Emmy-nominated; best known for his role as Milton in “Office Space” in 1999

Hal Steinbrenner

Graduation year/degree: 1994 - Master of Business Administration

Why he’s famous: New York Yankees executive vice president and general partner

Jack Youngblood

Graduation Year/degree: 1972 - BS in finance

Why he’s famous: NFL/College Football Hall of Famer; Emmy-nominated actor; broadcaster; author

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