The No. 5 Texas Longhorns are moving on in the College Football Playoff after defeating the No. 12 Clemson Tigers 38-24 in a thrilling first-round matchup on Saturday night in Austin. While the Longhorns celebrated their victory, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik nearly stole the show with a record-breaking performance in his homecoming.
Klubnik, a junior from Austin and a product of Westlake High School, delivered a dazzling effort, passing for 336 yards—the most Texas has allowed this season—and three touchdowns. His second-half heroics brought the Tigers (10-4) back into contention after they trailed by 18 points at halftime. However, the comeback bid ultimately fell short, with Texas (12-2) holding firm in the closing moments.
Texas took control early, building an 18-point lead by halftime with a balanced attack led by quarterback Quinn Ewers and running back Jaydon Blue. Ewers threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns, while Blue contributed significantly with 120 rushing yards and a 77-yard touchdown run in the second half that helped seal the game. The Longhorns’ offensive rhythm and a stout defensive performance in the first half appeared to put the game out of reach.
Despite the deficit, Klubnik refused to let Clemson go quietly. He orchestrated a pair of masterful touchdown drives in the second half. A four-play, 55-yard drive in the third quarter culminated in a 25-yard touchdown pass to running back Jarvis Green, cutting the Longhorns’ lead to 31-17. Early in the fourth quarter, Klubnik found T.J. Moore on a clutch 7-yard pass on fourth-and-6 to bring the Tigers within a touchdown, 31-24.
However, Texas responded immediately. On the ensuing drive, Blue broke free for his electrifying 77-yard touchdown, stretching the lead back to 14 points at 38-24 and shifting momentum back in favor of the Longhorns.
Klubnik continued to fight, leading Clemson on a 74-yard drive late in the fourth quarter, including a pair of long completions to Moore for 29 and 30 yards. With the Tigers at the Texas 1-yard line, the Longhorns’ defense delivered their defining moment. Texas safety Michael Taaffe stopped Klubnik on a critical third-down play, and the defensive duo of Bill Norton and Barryn Sorrell stuffed Keith Adams on fourth down, preserving Texas’ two-touchdown lead.
Taaffe, a former Westlake teammate and close friend of Klubnik, played a pivotal role in the victory. In addition to his third-down stop, he broke up Klubnik’s fourth-down pass with 1:16 left to end Clemson’s hopes of a miraculous comeback.
The game carried an extra layer of drama, given the Westlake High School connections among Klubnik, Taaffe, and Texas defensive end Ethan Burke. The trio were part of Westlake’s 2020 state championship team, with Taaffe and Klubnik sharing a close bond as best friends during their high school years. Klubnik’s high school rivalry with Ewers, who led Southlake Carroll and lost to Westlake in that championship game, added further spice to the matchup.
“It’s surreal to compete against Cade,” Taaffe said earlier in the week. “He’s one of the best competitors I’ve ever played with or against.”
With the win, Texas advances to the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, where they will face No. 4 Arizona State at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1 at 1:00 PM ET on ESPN. The Longhorns will look to carry their momentum into the new year as they aim for a national championship berth.
For Clemson, the loss marks the end of a resilient season, but Klubnik’s performance reaffirmed his place as one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks. While the Tigers fell short, Klubnik’s memorable homecoming showcased his grit and talent on the national stage.
