## Longhorns Stampede Past Tigers in Thrilling CFP Opener
The Texas Longhorns secured a hard-fought victory over the Clemson Tigers in the opening round of the expanded college Football Playoff, triumphing 38-24 on Saturday. Jaydon Blue was the offensive catalyst for Texas, racking up an impressive 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a decisive 77-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. [[1]]
Clemson mounted a valiant comeback in the second half, narrowing the gap to 31-24 after Cade Klubnik connected for his third touchdown pass. However, Blue’s explosive run sealed the deal for the Longhorns, propelling them to a Peach Bowl berth on January 1st against the Big 12 champion Arizona State sun Devils. [[1]]
Blue’s performance was a testament to his explosiveness, as he also found the end zone on a 38-yard burst in the second quarter. His second touchdown showcased his elusiveness and speed, as he broke free from a tackle and outran three defenders to reach the end zone with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game. [[1]]
Texas’s offensive onslaught wasn’t solely reliant on Blue. Quintrevion Wisner contributed significantly with 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the first half, while quarterback quinn Ewers orchestrated the offense effectively, throwing for 202 yards and a touchdown. [[1]]
Despite facing a formidable Texas defense that had only allowed four touchdown passes all season, Klubnik, a local Austin product, displayed resilience, throwing for 336 yards and leading the Tigers’ second-half resurgence. [[1]]
This victory marks a notable achievement for Texas, as they are the only team from last year’s four-team playoff field to secure a spot in the expanded 12-team format. Clemson, the ACC champions, entered the playoffs as the 12th seed, making their seventh overall appearance and first since 2020. [[1]]
Texas Stampede: A Chat with Coach Lou Holtz
the Longhorns shocked the college football world with a thrilling 38-24 victory over Clemson in the opening round of the expanded playoff. Today, we’re joined by legendary coach Lou Holtz to dissect this exciting matchup and discuss the implications for the race to the National Championship. Welcome, Coach Holtz!
Lou Holtz: Thanks for having me. It was a heck of a game,wasn’t it?
Absolutely! Jaydon Blue was electric for Texas,racking up 146 yards and two touchdowns. That 77-yard scamper in the fourth quarter was a backbreaker for Clemson. Were you impressed by Blue’s performance?
Holtz: I’ll tell you what, that kid is something special. He’s got the speed, the vision, and the power to be a truly dominant running back. He reminded me a lot of some of the great backs I coached back in the day.
Clemson did mount a valiant comeback in the second half. Cade Klubnik showed a lot of grit, throwing for 336 yards and three touchdowns. do you think Clemson underestimated Texas coming into this game?
Holtz: It’s hard to say. Texas has been a bit of a sleeping giant, but they’ve always had the talent. Sometiems it just takes a spark to ignite everything. JBlue might be that spark for them.
Texas will now face the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl. Arizona State won their conference convincingly. This is a tough matchup for Texas, isn’t it?
Holtz: It sure is. Arizona State is a very good team, well-coached and disciplined. They don’t beat themselves. Texas will have to be at their best to win this one.
Looking ahead to the expanded playoff, with 12 teams instead of four, do you think this changes the landscape of college football?
Holtz: It absolutely does. More teams get a chance to compete for the national championship, which is great for the sport. However, I do worry about the potential for diluting the regular season.
What’s your take on Texas being the only team from last year’s four-team playoff to make it back this year?
holtz: It shows the parity in college football right now. Any given Saturday,anyone can beat anyone. That’s what makes
it so exciting.
We’d love to hear from you,fans! Let us know your thoughts on Texas’ dominating performance,the expanded playoff format,and who you think will emerge as the National Champions this season. Sound off in the comments below!
