AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jaydon Blue ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns, the last a 77-yard burst in the fourth quarter, and Texas beat Clemson 38-24 on Saturday in the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff.
Blue's fourth-quarter touchdown came after Clemson rallied from down 31-10 to 31-24 on Cade Klubnik's third touchdown pass.
Texas (12-2) advanced to the Jan. 1 Peach bowl to play Big 12 champion Arizona State.
“You can't win (the championship) if you don't win the first one,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We did that.”
Blue also scored on 38-yard cut-and-dash burst in the second quarter. On his second, he dove into the line, shook a tackler, and then outraced three more to the end zone with just 11 minutes left.
Blue missed a game this season with a nagging ankle injury and saw his carries reduced over several games because of fumble problems. He clutched the ball tightly to his chest when a defender tried to rip it away.
“It was a sign of relief after everything I’ve been going through,” Blue said. “I stayed patient, I saw a crease and it was everything (open) from there.”
Quintrevion Wisner added 110 yards rushing and two first-half touchdowns for Texas. Quinn Ewers passed for 202 yards and a touchdown.
Klubnik, who grew up in Austin, passed for 336 yards and rallied the Tigers (10-4) in the second half against a Texas defense that had given up just four passing touchdowns all season.
The runner-up in the Southeastern Conference, Texas is the only one of last season’s four playoff teams to make the new 12-team field. Clemson won the ACC championship to make the playoff. The Tigers were the No. 12 seed in their first appearance since 2020 and seventh overall.
"It's not easy to get on this stage (again), and they earned it," Sarkisian said. “It think college football got this one right. This idea of a home playoff game with a 12-team format was pretty special.”
Clemson: The Tigers had three big fourth-down chances in the fourth quarter. They turned the first one into a touchdown when Klubnik threw to T.J. Moore. But they came up short on the next two. Keith Adams Jr. was stuffed at the Texas 1 and Klubnik pass at the Texas 26 was incomplete with just over a minute left.
Texas: The Longhorns had some injury scares that could be worrisome with more games ahead. Wisner, starting offensive tackle Cam Williams and center Jake Majors all left the field in two plays in the second quarter. Sarkisian said the coaching staff opted to keep Wisner and Majors out in the second half. Williams needed help to get off the field and will have tests on his knee overnight.
Clemson will try to defend its ACC title next season and earn its eighth playoff berth.
Texas moves on to face Arizona State in the next round. The Longhorns left the Big 12 before Arizona State joined that league this season.
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