Two teams familiar with the college football playoff will collide on Saturday when the No. 12 ranked Clemson Tigers (10-3) face off against the No. 5 ranked Texas Longhorns (11-2) in Austin, Texas.
Clemson made an improbable run to the college football playoffs by defeating the SMU Mustangs in the ACC Championship game. The Tigers looked like a team heading for a bowl game this season after losing their regular-season finale to the rival South Carolina Gamecocks.
Texas had only two losses this season, both coming in games against the Georgia Bulldogs. In the SEC Championship, Texas nearly pulled off a dramatic victory over Georgia, but the Longhorns came up short in a 22-19 defeat.
Can Clemson continue its magical run, or will the Longhorns spear Clemson’s hopes for a quarterfinal matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils? We’ll cover that and our three best player prop bets for Saturday’s game.
Texas Longhorns RB Quintrevion Wisner OVER 88.5 Rushing Yards
Texas sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner has been solid this season, earning 863 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 176 carries for the Longhorns. While he was average against Georgia in the SEC Championship game (19 carries, 51 yards), he’s been tearing up defenses since late September when he earned the lead role for Texas.
Clemson’s defense is soft against the running game. South Carolina chewed up 267 rushing yards against the Tigers while SMU – a team known more for its passing attack – earned over 150 yards in the ACC Championship game. Expect Texas to do the same thing, and Wisner will record above 90 rushing yards on Saturday.
Clemson Tigers QB Cade Klubnik UNDER 220.5 Passing Yards
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has been stout over his past four outings. The 6-foot-2 junior has completed 87 of his 134 passes for 1,028 yards and nine touchdowns against only one interception. He’s also capable of evading defensive pressure with his feet, earning 458 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 106 carries in 2024.
The Texas passing defense has also been stout, holding their last five opponents to under 211 passing yards. Expect a similar outing on Saturday for Klubnik as the Longhorns’ defensive front will keep the Tigers one-dimensional and force Clemson to pass, a recipe for disaster for Clemson.
Texas Longhorns TE Gunnar Helm Anytime Touchdown (+125)
Texas tight end Gunnar Helm has been a beast this season for the Longhorns. The 6-foot-5 senior has caught a team-best 49 receptions for 611 yards and five scores in 2024. Despite a poor outing in the SEC Championship game (one reception for 11 yards), the tight end has been the Longhorns' most reliable receiver this season.
Predicting how many yards either Quinn Ewers – or backup Arch Manning, for that matter – might pass for is hard considering how porous the Tigers’ running defense is. With what few passing attempts the Longhorns throw, expect at least a few to go to Helm near the endzone to complete this player prop bet.
Best Bet: Texas (-12.5)
It’s hard to pick a team that’s favored by two touchdowns to cover the spread, but the Longhorns look primed for a victory over Clemson on Saturday. Texas has been strong against every other team this season, claiming all but one victory by double-figure margins. Expect the Longhorns to make short work of the Tigers on Saturday and win by two touchdowns at least.
