There’s a first time for everything.
The Texas Longhorns have been playing football since 1893, and Clemson’s first football game happened in 1896. These two teams, though, have never played each other. That is, until the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff.
The No. 5 and 12 seeds in the CFP, Texas (11-2) and Clemson (10-3) will meet at Royal-Memorial Stadium at 3 p.m. Saturday. The winner will advance to play Arizona State (11-2) in the Peach Bowl-hosted quarterfinals.
1. DKR will host a high school reunion
Clemson will be led into Royal-Memorial Stadium by junior quarterback Cade Klubnik, who has thrown for 3,303 yards and 33 touchdowns. Klubnik is an Austin product who attended Westlake High.
Klubnik will see some familiar faces when he drops back to pass against the Texas defense. Klubnik and Texas starting safety Michael Taaffeearned the offensive and defensive MVP awards after Westlake beat Southlake Carroll and current UT quarterback Quinn Ewers in the 2020 Class 6A Division I championship game. Texas edge rushers Ethan Burke and Colton Vasek also played with Klubnik at Westlake.
2. Clemson has found a way to replace Andrew Mukuba
Before transferring to Texas this offseason, senior safety Andrew Mukuba started 31 times over three seasons at Clemson. Mukuba’s four interceptions rank second among the Longhornsthis year.
Without Mukuba, Clemson has an average pass defense and is allowing 214.4 passing yards per game. Sophomore Khalil Barnes leads the Tigers with his four interceptions, and he and senior R.J. Mickens started at safety for Clemson in the ACC championship game.
3. Clemson has a championship pedigree
Texas and Clemson have combined to win seven national championships. Texas, though, hasn’t won a championship since the 2005 season. Clemson was college football’s best team in 1981, 2016 and 2018. Under head coach Dabo Swinney, the Tigers have compiled a 180-46 record and won two national championships.
4. Turnover margin working in Clemson’s favor this season
Both Texas and Clemson have forced a lot of turnovers this season. No Football Bowl Subdivision-level team has caused more than UT’s 28 turnovers. Clemson ranks eighth nationally with its 25 turnovers. Clemson has only lost nine turnovers this season, which is the nation’s ninth-lowest total. The Tigers rank fifth in turnover margin.
Swinney pointed to that turnover margin when he was asked about his team’s strengths on a recent conference call. As for what makes this 2024 Clemson team different from the other Tiger teams he’s coached since 2008, Swinney assessed that he has “probably some of the best leadership I’ve ever been around. The people on this roster are going to do some amazing things in life. I’ll guarantee you that.”
5. Why are Clemson teams nicknamed Tigers?
According to the Clemson student newspaper, originality wasn’t a requirement when Clemson picked a nickname for its athletic teams. Walter Merritt Riggs, the school’s first football coach and later its president, went to Auburn and brought that Tiger nickname with him to Clemson.
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