Clemson Tigers vs Texas Longhorns Matchup

Check out our free Clemson Tigers vs Texas Longhorns pick and preview for this CFB College Football Playoff First Round Game game in Austin. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this College Football Playoff First Round Game CFB matchup.

At 4:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st, the Texas Longhorns will host the Clemson Tigers in a College Football Playoff first-round matchup at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. The game will be broadcast on TNT, and the over/under line is currently set at 51.5 points. The Longhorns are the -10.5 point favorites, with the money line odds at -422 for Texas and +319 for Clemson.

Tigers vs. Longhorns Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Clemson Tigers at Texas Longhorns
Where: Austin at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds TX -10.5, CLMSN +319 | TX -422 O/U 51.5

Tigers Preview:

Clemson enters Week 1 against Texas with a 10-3 record, going 4-2 at home and 5-1 on the road. They’ve been favored in 10 of their 13 games, holding an 8-2 record as the favorite.

Their ATS record stands at 6-6, with a +13.2 average scoring margin. They are 3-3 against the spread at home and 3-3 on the road.

This season, Clemson’s over/under record is 4-7-1, with their games averaging 57.8 points. The average over/under line is 53.8 points, while this week’s line is set at 51.5 points.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Clemson’s offense ranks 9th in our power rankings heading into week 1, and they are 15th in points per game, scoring 35.5. Cade Klubnik leads the passing game with 3,303 yards and a passer rating of 106. He has thrown 33 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

The Tigers are 8th in passing attempts per game, averaging 37.2, and they are 13th in passing yards, with 274.1 per game. Klubnik has completed 63.7% of his passes. Phil Mafah leads the rushing attack with 1,116 yards. Antonio Williams has 70 catches for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Tigers Team Defense

Clemson's defense has allowed an average of 22.3 points per game this season, including 31 points in their recent game against SMU. They gave up 458 total yards, with 304 yards coming through the air and one rushing touchdown allowed. Clemson also forced one interception in the game.

Opponents have averaged 214.4 passing yards per game against Clemson, completing 54% of their passes, which ranks 11th nationally. Clemson's defense has faced the 96th most pass attempts in the country, while allowing 152.2 rushing yards per game.

Longhorns Preview:

Clemson enters Week 1 against Texas with a 10-3 record, going 4-2 at home and 5-1 on the road. They’ve been favored in 10 of their 13 games, holding an 8-2 record as the favorite.

Their ATS record stands at 6-6, with a +13.2 average scoring margin. They are 3-3 against the spread at home and 3-3 on the road.

This season, Clemson’s over/under record is 4-7-1, with their games averaging 57.8 points. The average over/under line is 53.8 points, while this week’s line is set at 51.5 points.

Longhorns Offense Breakdown

Texas has relied on their passing game, ranking 10th in the nation with 280.9 yards per game. They are 11th in completions, averaging 22.8 per game, and 19th in attempts with 34.5. Quinn Ewers has thrown for 2,665 yards, completing 66.2% of his passes, and has 25 touchdowns but 9 interceptions. His passer rating is 101.

Overall, Texas is 22nd in scoring, averaging 33.6 points per game, and we have them 17th in our offensive power rankings. On the ground, they average 165.4 rushing yards per game. Quintrevion Wisner leads the team with 863 rushing yards, averaging 4 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns.

Longhorns Team Defense

Texas's defense has been a standout this season, ranking 2nd nationally by allowing just 12.5 points per game. They’ve given up 108 rushing yards per game and 142.9 passing yards, the 4th-lowest in the country, with a passer rating of 54.8, which ranks 3rd.

In their recent game, Texas allowed 22 points, giving up 141 rushing yards and 136 passing yards, while forcing one interception. Georgia managed 19 first downs against them.

Tigers vs Longhorns Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Clemson has played well in their previous 5 road games, going 5-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 32 points per game while allowing 18. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
In their last ten games at home, the Texas Longhorns have a straight up record of 8-2 while going 4-6 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 27 points per game in these contests.
As the betting underdog, the Clemson Tigers have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 2-1.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Texas Longhorns have a straight up record of 8-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 4-6.