Born and raised in rural Atkins, Arkansas, Matthews attended local Atkins High School, where he played varsity football under coach Raymond Burnett and was a two-time All-State selection.
Matthews went on to play at Arkansas Tech University, where he was an All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) honoree in 1940 and 1941.
He continued his playing career at the University of Arkansas for one year under George Cole.
Matthews also served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
Matthews led the Tigers to unbeaten seasons in 1956 and 1957, and left the school with a 33-game winning streak.