If Texas students want to root for the Longhorns in the NCAA women's basketball tournament, former UT football star Michael Huff will pick up the tab.

On Thursday, Huff offered to pay for Texas students to attend the Longhorns' first-round game. A No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004, Texas (30-4) hosts Drexel (19-14) at Moody Center at 2 p.m. on Friday.

Student tickets are being sold for $10 apiece. In order to claim a ticket, students need to bring their Texas ID to the southwest ticket office at Moody Center on Friday afternoon.

If Texas wins and advances to the second round, Huff said he'll pay for student tickets again on Sunday, too.

"Huff, he's always been great, been a big supporter of our program and I just appreciate him so much," said Texas coach Vic Schaefer, who also has offered to buy up to 100 student tickets.

Huff was a standout defensive back on the Texas football team that won the 2005 national championship. He now works as an assistant director of player development with the UT football program.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Michael Huff buys student tickets for Texas' NCAA Tournament opener