(Gray Media) - Clemson's road in the 2024 College Football Playoff will the Tigers through uncharted territory.
Clemson will face Texas in Austin on Saturday as part of the first round of the CFP.
Here's what to know:
KICKOFF/TV INFO: The game kicks off at 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on TNT. It will also be available to stream on Max.
RADIO INFO: The Clemson Athletic Network will also broadcast the game on affiliates across the Carolinas.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the first time Clemson and Texas have met in football.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: The winner will go on to face Big 12 Champion Arizona State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year's Day in a CFP quarterfinal.
HOW CLEMSON GOT HERE: The Tigers (10-3) earned an automatic bid to the CFP in a thrilling 34-31 win over SMU in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 7. This will be Clemson's seventh CFP appearance since the format was introduced in 2024.
The Tigers started the season with a 34-3 loss to eventual SEC champion Georgia - but followed that up by winning six straight games as the schedule moved into ACC play. They also dropped two of their last five games, including a narrow 17-14 home loss to South Carolina. Clemson is, however, unbeaten in road games this season.
Clemson's offense is powered by quarterback and Austin native Cade Klubnik, who will return to his hometown with nearly 3,500 passing yards on the season along with 33 touchdowns. Other standouts on offense include running back Phil Mafah (1,106 rushing yards) and tight end Jake Briningstool.
On defense, the Tigers are anchored by defensive end T.J. Parker, who needs just one sack to become the first Clemson player to record 12 sacks in a season in nearly a decade. Safety Khalil Barnes is also looking to tally his third straight game with an interception, while linebacker Sammy Brown ranks second in the nation in tackels for loss among freshmen.
HOW TEXAS GOT HERE: The Longhorns (11-2) were granted an at-large bid to the CFP after their loss in the SEC Championship Game to Georgia.
Texas started out the year with six straight wins before a regular season loss to Georgia in Austin. The Longhorns were able to rebound and win their final five games before falling to the Bulldogs again in the conference title game.
Standouts on offense for the Longhorns include quarterback Quinn Ewers, who's thrown for over 2,600 yards and 25 touchdowns on the season. Running back Quintrevioin Wisner (863 yd., 3 TD) and wide receiver Matthew Golden (738 yd., 8 TD) will also be named to watch.
Texas also sports one of the nation's top defenses, ranking in the top three among FBS teams in scoring defense and pass defense. That unit is led by players such as linebacker Anthony Hill, Jr., who has 90 total tackles and 7.5 sacks so far this season.