AUSTIN, TX - Clemson's return to the College Football Playoff was short-lived.
Texas scored touchdowns on its first three possessions en route to a 38-24 win over the Tigers in the opening round of the playoff.
Clemson had a chance to pull within one touchdown midway through the fourth quarter but the Longhorns were able to bow up on their own one yard line on back-to-back plays to keep Clemson out of the end zone and end any hope of a comeback.
Texas ran for 295 yards and averaged 6.4 yards per carry against the much-maligned Clemson defense. Those numbers just won't cut it when you are trying win in the playoff.
Offense Does Its Part
Clemson's offense did its part, totaling 381 yards. It is the most yards the Longhorns have surrendered all season.
Numerous Questions Surrounding Defense
After the way this Clemson defense has performed this season, particularly the last few weeks, Wes Goodwin is going catch a lot of heat, and rightfully so. The linebackers just haven't been very good much of the season, and that is the position he coaches.
However, the issues run deeper than that. One example would be the defense looking soft up front in the loss to Texas. They were just beaten at the point of the attack over and over. It's also not the first time that's happened this season. And Goodwin doesn't coach those guys up front.
The tackling has been bad all season. At all three levels. That is one of the most basic of the fundamentals. It's something Dabo Swinney is going to have to take a long hard look at over the offseason to see what needs to be done to get it corrected.
Klubnik Shines in Homecoming
This might have been a loss, but it wasn't because of Klubnik. The junior signal; caller threw for 336 yards, by far the most passing yards that stingy Texas defense has allowed all season. Klubnik hit on 60% of his passes and threw three touchdowns with one interception. The quarterback never quit.
Career Night for Moore
T.J. Moore had himself a night. The true freshman set a new career high in catches (9) and receiving yards (116). He also reeled in a touchdown catch. He and Bryant Wesco should make quite the tandem at wideout next season.
Kudos to Mafah
This was the final game of Phil Mafah's career and the senior back did what he could to play. It's shame he was only able to muster two carries, but his final one went for seven yards on a productive first down play in the first quarter.
Mafah has been dealing with an ailing shoulder pretty much all season and it really started to get worse over the final few games. He was not seen on the field after the first quarter.
The Tigers mostly did a really good job of adjusting to his absence and if you take away sack yardage they were able to manage to rush for over 100 yards. However, not having Mafah was really felt in the fourth quarter with the Tigers looking to pull within 38-31. On back-to-back plays, Texas was able to stop the Clemson from scoring from a yard out and the offense would turn it over on downs.
Keith Adams Jr., Jarvis Green, David Eziomume and even Adam Randall took snaps in his absence.
A limited number of signed replica road signs from Cade Klubnik are available! Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!