AUSTIN, Texas — Clemson’s 2024 season came to an end Saturday in the College Football Playoff.

Texas running back Jaydon Blue went 77 yards with 10:48 to play to seal the Tigers’ fate in a 38-24 loss at Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Before Blue’s game-clinching touchdown, Austin native Cade Klubnik brought No. 5 seed Clemson from a three-touchdown deficit.

His 7-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Moore with 11:43 to go, brought the Tigers within seven points, 31-24, with 11:43 to go. But like they did all day, the defense could not stop Blue and the Texas running game.

With the win, No. 5 seed Texas advances to the quarterfinals of the CFP, where it will play No. 4 seed Arizona State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Jan. 1.

Clemson (10-3) had an opportunity to make it a seven-point game for a second time, as they moved the ball to the Texas one. However, on two straight rushing plays the Tigers failed to get the ball into the end zone.

Blue finished the night with 146 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, while Quintrevion Wisner ran for 115 yards and two TDs as well on 10 carries. The Longhorns finished the night with 292 rushing yards.

Quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 202 yards and one TD. Texas totaled 494 yards in the victory.

Clemson opened the game with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that was capped with a 22-yard Cade Klubnik to Antonio Williams TD pass that gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 8:14 to go in the first.

However, the Longhorns tied the game up with a 12-play drive of their own, capped with a three-yard run by Wisner. From that point it was all Texas.

Klubnik finished the afternoon 26-of-43 for 336 yards, three TDs and one interception in the loss. Moore had 9 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Bad day for the defense, again

Clemson’s defense just could not get off the field. The Longhorns were 6 of 12 on third down. They averaged 6.9 yards per play.

Texas averaged 8.0 yards per play in the first half, while having scoring drives of 75, 65, 82 and 40 yards. The Longhorns tallied 289 yards in the first half, including 148 yards on the ground.

The Longhorns’ first punt did not occur until the 4:34 mark of the fourth quarter.

Most yards allowed

Clemson’s offense tallied 412 yards, it was the most yards allowed by Texas’ defense all season. The previous high was 329 vs. Florida.

Most passing yards allowed

Klubnik’s 336 yards through the air were the most allowed by the Texas defense all season. The previous high was 211 yards against Kentucky.

It was over in the second quarter

The Longhorns (12-2) put the game away in the second quarter. They outscored the Tigers 21-3 in the second period.

Clemson had outscored opponents 134-82 in the second quarter coming into Saturday’s playoff game.

0-for-3 vs. the SEC

Dabo Swinney has always been proud of how his Clemson program has performed against SEC opponents over the years. However, with the loss to Texas on Saturday, the Tigers finished 2024 with an 0-3 vs. the SEC.

Clemson opened the season with a loss to Georgia in the Aflac Kickoff Classic in Atlanta, and then lost to South Carolina at home in the regular season finale.

Injuries

Playing in his last game, running back Phil Mafah started the game, but did not make it past the first quarter, as he was removed with a shoulder injury. He is scheduled to have post-season surgery.