Texas Longhorns vs Clemson Tigers Picks and Predictions December 21st 2024

Texas Longhorns vs Clemson Tigers December 21st 2024

At 4:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st, the Texas Longhorns and Clemson Tigers will face off in a College Football Playoff first-round game at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. TNT will be handling the television broadcast as the Longhorns, with an 11-2 record, host the 10-3 Tigers. The over/under line is currently set at 51.5 points, with Texas favored by -10.5 points. The money line odds have Texas at -422 and Clemson at +319.

Clemson vs. Texas Key Information

Clemson enters their Week 1 matchup against Texas with a 10-3 record. They’ve gone 4-2 at home and 5-1 on the road this season. The Tigers have been favored in 10 of their 13 games, posting an 8-2 record as the favorite.

Their ATS record stands at 6-6, with a +13.2 average scoring margin. Clemson is 3-3 against the spread at home and 3-3 on the road, going 5-5 ATS as the favorite.

Clemson’s over/under record is 4-7-1, and they’ve averaged 57.8 points per game. Their average over/under line is 53.8 points, and this week’s line is set at 51.5 points.

Clemson’s offense is ranked 9th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 1. They are also 15th in points per game, scoring 35.5. Cade Klubnik leads the passing game with 3,303 yards and a passer rating of 106. He has thrown 33 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Clemson ranks 8th in passing attempts, averaging 37.2 per game.

Klubnik has completed 63.7% of his passes. Clemson is 13th in passing yards, averaging 274.1 yards per game. Phil Mafah leads the rushing attack with 1,116 yards. Antonio Williams has 70 catches for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns.

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Clemson’s defense allowed 31 points in their recent game against SMU, giving up 458 total yards, including 304 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air. They did manage to force one interception in the game.

So far this season, Clemson’s defense is ranked 42nd nationally, allowing 22.3 points per game. Opponents have averaged 152.2 rushing yards per game and 214.4 passing yards, completing 54% of their passes, which is the 11th-lowest completion rate in the country.

Texas enters Week 14 with an 11-2 record, going 6-1 at home and 5-0 on the road. They’ve been favored in 12 of their 13 games, posting an 11-1 record as the favorite.

The Longhorns have a +21.2 average scoring margin this season, and they are 7-5 against the spread. At home, they are 4-3 ATS, and they’ve gone 3-2 on the road.

Texas games have averaged 46.1 points, and their over/under record is 4-7-1. They’ve averaged -6.4 points against the line, with seven games featuring lower totals than this week’s 51.5 line.

Texas has leaned on their passing game this season, ranking 10th in passing yards per game with 280.9. They are 11th in completions, averaging 22.8 per game, and 19th in attempts. Heading into week 11, they are 22nd in scoring, with 33.6 points per game, and we have them ranked 17th in our offensive power rankings.

Quarterback Quinn Ewers has thrown for 2,665 yards, with a passer rating of 101. He has completed 66.2% of his passes and has 25 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. Matthew Golden leads the team with 738 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. On the ground, Texas is averaging 165.4 rushing yards per game.

Texas’s defense has been a standout this season, ranking second nationally by allowing just 12.5 points per game. Against Georgia, they gave up 22 points, allowing 277 total yards, including 136 passing yards and 141 rushing yards. Texas also forced an interception in the game.

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Opposing quarterbacks have struggled against Texas, posting a passer rating of just 54.8, the third-lowest in the country. Texas is allowing 142.9 passing yards per game, ranking fourth nationally, and 108 rushing yards per game, which is 20th in the nation.

Our projected score for this week one matchup between Clemson and Texas is 30-21 in favor of the Longhorns. With Texas being the -10.5 point favorite, we like Clemson to cover the spread as the road underdog.

For the over/under, with the line set at 51.5 points, our projection of 51 points suggests that taking the under is the best play.

Storylines Galore as No. 5 Texas Faces No. 12 Clemson in CFP Clash

No. 5 seed Texas and No. 12 seed Clemson are set to square off in a high-stakes first-round matchup of the College Football Playoff on Saturday in Austin, Texas. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals to face No. 4 seed Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1.

Texas enters as a 10 1/2-point favorite, the largest margin for any first-round game, marking the first-ever meeting between these two storied programs.

Texas Looks to Bounce Back

The Longhorns (11-2) are coming off a heartbreaking 22-19 overtime loss to then-No. 5 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Despite the loss, Texas demonstrated grit, controlling much of the first half even while battling key injuries. Quarterback Quinn Ewers played through a sprained right ankle, and left tackle Kelvin Banks, the Outland Trophy winner, missed the game due to his own ankle injury. Both are expected to be back at full strength for Saturday.

Ewers, who threw for 2,665 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, shared his straightforward mindset going into the game.

“I feel good. It was good to get some time off,” Ewers said. “I just try to get the ball to the playmakers and let them go to work at the end of the day. It sounds like a simple answer, but that’s how simple it is.”

The Challenge for Texas

The Longhorns’ two losses this season were both to Georgia, costing them the SEC championship in their debut year in the league. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian highlighted the balancing act of preparing for a playoff game after a long layoff.

“One of the concerns always for us as coaches is that long layoff,” Sarkisian said. “How do you keep your team sharp and competitive, yet in the same token heal and get healthy?”

Clemson’s Road to the CFP

The Tigers (10-3) clinched the final playoff spot with a thrilling 34-31 victory over then-No. 8 SMU in the ACC Championship, thanks to a clutch 56-yard field goal from freshman kicker Nolan Hauser. Clemson’s season had its ups and downs, including a blowout loss to Georgia in the opener and home defeats to Louisville and South Carolina.

Clemson’s head coach Dabo Swinney, a two-time national champion, relishes the challenge of playing in a hostile environment.
“This is as good as it gets,” Swinney said. “Somebody asked me today, ‘What’s it going to be like?’ I said, ‘Well, it’s going to be like a normal road game, times a million.’”

Key Players to Watch

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has been instrumental in the Tigers’ success, throwing for 3,303 yards and 33 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Klubnik, a dual-threat QB with 458 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground, has a personal connection to the game. He hails from Austin, Texas, where he was a high school star at Austin Westlake. Notably, Klubnik faced Ewers in a high school state championship game, leading his team to victory.

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Texas will rely heavily on Ewers, who guided the Longhorns to the four-team CFP a year ago. Ewers and Klubnik’s renewed rivalry adds another layer of intrigue to this matchup.

Clemson’s offense will also look to running back Phil Mafah, who has rushed for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Despite a shoulder injury requiring postseason surgery, Swinney confirmed Mafah’s availability for Saturday.
“Mafah’s going to give us everything he’s got,” Swinney said. “He’s a guy we have to have play well for sure.”

High Stakes and Historic Implications

With Texas aiming to reestablish its dominance and Clemson looking to capitalize on its big-game experience, this showdown promises to deliver drama and excitement. Both teams are loaded with talent and storylines, making Saturday’s clash a must-watch.