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After a three-year hiatus, Clemson University’s football program is headed back to the College Football Playoff (CFP) – although this time the Tigers are crashing an expanded postseason format as opposed to being a perennial title favorite in the former four-team field.
No. 16 Clemson was the twelfth and final seed in the controversially chosen 12-team bracket. That means head coach Dabo Swinney‘s squad must win on the road against No. 3 Texas on December 21, 2024 to make a quarterfinal matchup against No. 12 Arizona State, the fourth-seeded team in the CFP invitational by virtue of its Big XII championship.
Seemingly eliminated from playoff contention following a rivalry loss to No. 15 South Carolina on November 30, Clemson got a second shot at the postseason when Miami fell that same day against unranked Syracuse. The Hurricanes’ defeat elevated the Tigers (10-3, 7-1 ACC) to their conference championship game against No. 8 Southern Methodist.
Clemson certainly made the most of its second chance…
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It wasn't a dream, but it sure felt like it. pic.twitter.com/975MezqLDh
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) December 8, 2024
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After coughing up a 17-point halftime lead, Clemson prevailed over the Mustangs (11-2, 8-0 ACC) on a 56-yard game-winning field goal from true freshman placekicker Nolan Hauser as time expired.
Not only did that kick give Clemson its ninth ACC crown in the last fourteen seasons, it punched an automatic playoff ticket for the Tigers… the program’s seventh overall CFP appearance. Only Alabama – which narrowly missed this year’s field – has more playoff appearances (8) than Clemson.
Clemson made the four-team playoff field every year from 2015-2020 – winning championships in 2016 and 2018 and making the title game in 2015 and 2019. The Tigers have notched double digit victories in 13 of their last 14 seasons and have finished in the Top 25 for thirteen consecutive years.
That is definitional excellence, people… although Swinney’s squad has certainly seen its fortunes dip a bit over the last three seasons.
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To advance in this year’s playoff, Clemson will have to solve one of the nation’s top defensive units. Head coach Steve Sarkisian‘s Longhorns (11-2, 7-1 SEC) are second-best nationally in points surrendered and third-best nationally in yards given up. Texas also boasts one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in junior Quinn Ewers. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound signal caller from Southlake, Texas has thrown for 2,665 yards with 25 touchdowns against only nine interceptions. Ewers put those numbers up despite missing two-and-a-half games in September with an abdomen strain, during which time he gave way to heralded redshirt freshman Arch Manning.
Clemson and Texas meet for the first time on December 21 at Texas Memorial Stadium. Kickoff has been set for 4:00 p.m. EST with TNT/Max providing nationwide coverage.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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