CFP First Round: Clemson vs Texas at DKR

Game updates – stay tuned throughout the game for our updates from the press box. We will also have field-level photos after the game.

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Surprisingly, these teams have never played each other in all the years the programs have been playing football. Have to wonder how that is. Clemson being in South Carolina just never made it to Texas.

Both teams are warming up. Bert Auburn practicing his field goals from 40, 50 yards out. NFL scouts are here in mass.

It’s a Winner gets to travel to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl on Jan 1.

1st Quarter:

Texas starts off on defense. Jadhae Barron stops a pass up the middle with a deflection. Clemson QB Klubnik comes out passing and uses his legs to get a first down. Klubnik has scramble capabilities. Clemson’s first drive seems easy for them. After 12 plays and 75 yards, Klubnik throws a pass to a wide open uncovered Antonio Williams who turns and takes it 22 yards for a Clemson touchdown.

Texas: 0 | Clemson: 7

Texas first drive, Quinn Ewers comes out throwing. Gunnar Helm with a 13 yard pass and then Ryan Wingo for a 13 yards pass. Quintrevion Wisner turns flips the after-burners on for 22 yards around the right side. Arch Manning package in…now Ewers back in, a hand off to Quintrevion Wisner to punch it in for a Texas TOUCHDOWN.

Texas’ drive duplicated Clemson’s drive with 12 plays over 75 yards that ends with a touchdown. The one note we see is that Sarkisian is playing super fast plays. No rest between plays, let’s go, let’s go!

Texas: 7 | Clemson: 7 2:04 left in 1st Qtr

Texas defense is looking upset. No more yards kind of attitude. As the quarter runs out, Clemson tried to pull Texas off sides but it did not work. Great discipline by Texas. Clemson is forced to punt.

Texas responds with a fast drive of only 5 plays and 65 yards that concludes with a 38 yard run by #23 Jaydon Blue into the end zone for Texas touchdown.

Texas: 14 | Clemson: 7

Texas defense is being their usual self. Unrelenting! Jahdae Barron showing off his Jim Thorpe Award skills with a breakup…another!

Quinn Ewers with the on target spiral for 44 yards to Matthew Golden – Texas 1st DOWN! Follow that up with a 16 yard run by Quintrevion Wisner again into the end zone.

Texas: 21 | Clemson: 7

Texas defense enjoying a late lunch of Tiger! My goodness they are being real grinches to Clemson. Tough Clemson just stopped Texas on 4 downs also.

Followed by Texas stopping Clemson on 3rd and 7 broken up by Vernon Broughton. Clemson punt. Texas ball on the 42yd line.

First play, Cam Williams tries to pull Wisner forward and both players go down. Next play Jake Majors is blindside and goes down on a Ewers pass that was intercepted. Majors walks off the field.

HALFTIME – Texas: 28 | Clemson 10

Texas defense is crushing Clemson, though Clemson has demonstrated they can score. Clemson’s Klubnik can pass the ball a has legs, but Texas will not give them even an inch. Of the five drives in the half, the first was a touchdown followed by two punts and an interception. Clemson was able to kick a FG on their final drive.

With 1:33 left in the half Texas clumsily drives the ball down field. Almost two interception then Ewers tucks the ball and gains a first down before sliding on a11 yard run. Texas calls a time out and comes out with a touchdown.

A three-pete Ewers to Gunnar Helm in the end zone for touchdown

First Half Analysis

Texas is playing an up-tempo offense scoring four touchdowns on 36 plays. Tre Wisner had 10 carries for 80 yard and two touchdowns followed by Jaydon Blue with seven carries for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Jaydon Blue told us during a press conference that he looks for leverage when he is cutting up through the line. Blue gets low, then angles left or right for extra yards. It’s incredible to see.

Gunnar Helm is a staple for Ewers. When in the red zone, Ewers to Helm in the end zone for a touchdown.

3rd Quarter

We spotted Jake Majors on the sidelines still in pads and looks ready to come back in. We’ll see.

Texas driving the ball, Arch Manning in and gets a 1st down. Texas offense coming in fast again. Ewers looks a little frustrated then slides on a play he could have gotten back to the line of scrimmage. Sarkisian upset and starts to alternate Ewers and Manning.

Bert Auburn kicks a field goal to put Texas up 31-10. A long drive for Texas. Fourteen plays and 71 yards that took almost seven minutes.

3Q: 5:34 – Texas defense forces Clemson to punt AGAIN. Texas ball on the 22 yard line.

Texas Michael Kern punts for the first time in the game, a 42 yarder.

Clemson responds and drives down and ends with a touchdown pass in the end zone. Klubnik threw to a wide open freshman Jarvis Green up the middle and into the end zone. Looked almost exactly like the Ewers to Helm pass.

Texas: 31 | Clemson: 17

[Serious Growth] It took Texas until the 3rd quarter with 1:30 on the clock to get their first penalty. 4th Quarter

“Knock, Knock!”
“Who’s there?”
Clemson”

Texas Offense needs to put this away and they have 11:43 left to do it.

Texas: 31 | Clemson: 24

Jaydon Blue to the HOUSE – TOUCHDOWN. Blue took it 77 yards and we will be asking him in post game how fast he was running.

Texas WINS 38 | Clemson: 24

We will see you a little later – we are headed down to the field to finish the game and then up to the post game news conference with Sarkisian and players. #HookEm

The game is over, the crowd at DKR are on their feet, all 101,150 of them, and Michael Taaffe makes a bee line to his good buddy Cade Klubnik and have a moment on the field.

This is the best of sports. Taaffe did get a sack on Klubnik and ultimately Texas won even though Clemson was knocking on the door.

Friends are friends forever.

Sarkisian accepted the football from the CFP Peach Bowl invitation.

Sarkisian said, “Just proud of our guys. You get into playoff mode, it’s not really about what did it look like, it’s do you have one more point than they have to come out on top so you can continue to play. We get to continue to play here in a couple weeks in Atlanta, and we’re obviously very excited about that.”

We got to hear from coach Sarkisian, Quinn Ewers, Gunnar Helm, Hayden Connor, and Jaydon Blue.

Quinn Ewers commented having checked down and on checking down on both touchdown runs by Jaydon Blue saying, “Yeah, it’s a great feeling. Anytime you’re able to get the offense into the correct play call for certain looks. I think it’s just a testament to the coaches giving us those looks in practice and it being kind of easy to see and easy to be able to check.”

After Christmas Texas travels to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl against Arizona State.