Clemson to Face Texas in College Football Playoff First Round
CLEMSON, S.C. — The College Football Playoff announced today that the 12th-seeded Clemson Tigers will face the fifth-seeded Texas Longhorns in the College Football Playoff First Round in Austin, Texas at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 21.
The selection represents Clemson’s seventh all-time berth in the College Football Playoff. Clemson’s seven all-time College Football Playoff berths are the second-most in the nation since the format’s inception in 2014, trailing only Alabama (eight).
Fans are encouraged to bookmark ClemsonTigers.com/BowlCentral for more information in the coming days. Fans can also visit the Clemson Tigers Store online to purchase official ACC Championship and College Football Playoff merchandise.
With the first round moving to an on-campus format this season, ticket requests for Clemson’s road game at Texas are not available. However, IPTAY donors can request College Football Playoff tickets for subsequent rounds at this link in advance of 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Last night, Clemson earned its 22nd all-time ACC Championship and its 28th overall conference championship in school history with a dramatic 34-31 victory against No. 8 SMU. With a game-winning 56-yard walk-off field goal by true freshman Nolan Hauser, Clemson has now won eight of the last 10 ACC titles and has won each of its last nine ACC Championship Game appearances dating to 2011.
The game will mark the first ever meeting between the Tigers and the Longhorns. Texas (959) and Clemson (808) have combined for 1,767 all-time victories, and both rank among the Top 13 in FBS history in victories. Clemson is 7-6 all-time in games played in the state of Texas but has won each of its last two contests in the Lone Star State, including a 28-26 win at Texas A&M and a 30-3 win against Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl, both in 2018.
The College Football Playoff berth extends Clemson’s school-record bowl streak to 20 years, the longest streak in the ACC and the fourth-longest streak in the country. Clemson's 20-year streak dates to its Champs Sports Bowl win against Colorado to close the 2005 season. Though Clemson did not make a bowl appearance in 2004, Clemson has now been bowl eligible in 26 consecutive seasons, dating to a 1999 appearance in the Peach Bowl.
Clemson is 12-8 in bowl games under Head Coach Dabo Swinney, including a 6-4 mark in College Football Playoff play. Swinney’s 12 bowl wins are an ACC record, and his six College Football Playoff victories are the most of any active coach.