CFP: Clemson Passing Offense Prepares for Texas' Top-Ranked Secondary
When No. 12 Clemson faces No. 5 Texas in the College Football Playoffs in Austin, Texas on Saturday, one of the game's most intriguing matchups will be the Tigers' aerial attack against the nation's top-ranked pass defense.
The Tigers have struggled on the ground late this season. In matchups against top 25 defenses, SMU (No. 4), South Carolina (No. 14), and Pittsburgh (No. 25), Clemson managed just 261 total rushing yards. Injuries have compounded the issue, with leading rusher Phil Mafah limited to 45 yards on 30 carries in wins over SMU and Pitt while battling a left shoulder injury.
Despite those struggles, Clemson has found ways to win through quarterback Cade Klubnik, who continues to grow in his role as the Tigers’ leader. Against Pitt and SMU, the junior quarterback threw for a combined 550 yards and six touchdowns, and he had the game-winning 50-yard touchdown run against the Panthers.
The Longhorns allow just 143.1 passing yards per game, leading the country in that category, while their rush defense ranks a formidable No. 15. Texas did show vulnerability against Georgia's Trevor Etienne. He rushed for 181 yards and five touchdowns in two meetings this season. Clemson hopes Mafah, backed by a committee including Keith Adams Jr., Jarvis Green, and David Eziomume, can find some rush lanes in Austin.
“I think those guys are gonna have to get some snaps for us and give us some juice," Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley noted about the running back rotation behind Mafah with Jay Haynes, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against SMU, unavailable.
Haynes offered a change of pace to the powerful Mafah with his speed but Eziomume, who has 62 yards on 10 carries, could be faster than Haynes.
Will the true freshman see the field on Saturday?
"I got confidence in EZ [Eziomume]. And so looking forward for him to get in the mix. He's a different type of runner,” said Riley.
Still, the Tigers will likely lean heavily on Klubnik to attack Texas through the air. The Longhorns’ secondary, led by fifth-year cornerback Jahdae Barron, has allowed just four passing touchdowns all season. "They’re really strong in their back end, for sure," Klubnik said Tuesday. "They’re strong everywhere but really strong in the back end — two great safeties, great corners. So, they’re gonna lean on that a lot.”
Klubnik is familiar with both safeties. One is former Clemson teammate Andrew Mukuba, who has four interceptions and nine pass breakups this season, and the other is Michael Taaffe, a teammate at Westlake High (TX).
Baron, the 2024 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award winner, has five interceptions, nine pass breakups, 47 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble on the season. "A really good player," Riley said when asked about Baron this week. "I think he's just a very instinctive guy and has a great skill set to go along with it. He has a good feel for the game."
The Tigers’ 17th-ranked passing offense will be the fourth top 25 unit the Longhorns have faced this season, UTSA (No. 11), Georgia (No. 12), and Arkansas (No. 21) -- UTSA managed just 132 passing yards against Texas, and Georgia’s Carson Beck was intercepted three times and held to 231 passing yards in six quarters.
While Texas has dominated passing attacks, the competition hasn’t always been elite. Of the Longhorns’ remaining opponents -- No. 53 Mississippi State, No. 78 Florida, No. 87 Colorado State, No. 93 Texas A&M, No. 111 Kentucky, No. 116 Vanderbilt, No. 122 Oklahoma, No. 128 ULM, No. 129 Michigan -- none were among the top 50 passing offenses in the country.
Furthermore, at No. 26 in passing efficiency, Klubnik will be the highest-rated quarterback Texas has faced this year, surpassing Beck (No. 32) and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed (No. 35). His 64% completion rate, 3,303 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and only five interceptions, combined with his 458 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground, make him a test for the Longhorns' vaunted pass defense.
The key question remains: Can Clemson’s passing attack find success where others have failed? The Tigers’ combination of talent at quarterback, an improving receiving corps, and a creative game plan will be critical in overcoming Texas’ strengths.
