By Missy Grimes
GAME NOTES
https://data.clemsontigers.com/pdf/football/2024-25/Notes/2024-14-Texas.pdf
The Matchup
The College Football Playoff announced today that the 12th-seeded Clemson Tigers will face the fifth-seeded Texas Longhorns in the College Football Playoff First Round in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4 p.m.
The game will mark the first ever meeting between the Tigers and the Longhorns. Texas (959) and Clemson (808) have combined for 1,767 all-time victories, and both rank among the Top 13 in FBS history in victories. Clemson is 7-6 all-time in games played in the state of Texas but has won each of its last two contests in the Lone Star State, including both a 28-26 win at Texas A&M and a 30-3 win against Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl in 2018.
Clemson in the Postseason
The College Football Playoff berth extends Clemson’s school-record bowl streak to 20 years, the longest streak in the ACC and the fourth-longest streak in the country. Clemson’s 20-year streak dates to its Champs Sports Bowl win against Colorado to close the 2005 season. Though Clemson did not make a bowl appearance in 2004, Clemson has now been bowl eligible in 26 consecutive seasons, dating to a 1999 appearance in the Peach Bowl.
The selection represents Clemson’s seventh all-time berth in the College Football Playoff. Clemson’s seven all-time College Football Playoff berths are the second-most in the nation since the format’s inception in 2014, trailing only Alabama (eight).
Gameday Timeline
- Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium at Campbell-Williams Field • Austin, Texas
- 1 p.m.: Tiger Tailgate Show presented by Upcountry Fiber
- 4 p.m.: Kickoff
- Listen: Clemson Athletic Network (Don Munson, Tim Bourret & Reggie Merriweather)
- 2024 Media Guide (PDF)
- 2024 Media Guide Supplement (PDF)
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Fifth-seeded Longhorns will face the 12th-seeded Tigers at 3 p.m. CT
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 3 and fifth-seed Texas Football will be hosting No. 16 and 12th-seeded Clemson in the 2024 College Football Playoff first round at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 21, inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will broadcast on TNT/Max with Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (reporter) on the call.
Texas will be making its second College Football Playoff appearance in as many years after earning the three seed in the 2023 College Football Playoff, making a semifinal appearance against the No. 2 Washington Huskies at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Longhorns have 11-consecutive top-10 CFP rankings, dating back to Oct. 31, 2023. Texas debuted at No. 5 in the first CFP rankings on Nov. 5 this season – which doubled as the program’s highest-ever spot in the first week of CFP rankings. Texas has been in the top-25 in each of the last 15 rankings and has 27 overall appearances in the rankings with its highest being No. 2. UT checked in at No. 4 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls that were updated on Dec. 8.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian has now led his programs to eight postseason appearances in his 11 seasons as a head coach. He led Washington to four-straight bowl games following the 2010-13 seasons and guided USC to the Holiday Bowl in 2014. His Washington team played in the 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl, a game he did not coach in after taking over the Trojans’ program. Sarkisian was the head coach for the Huskies’ Alamo Bowl appearance against Baylor in 2011.
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