AUSTIN, Texas — Sunday morning, following a win over SMU, the Clemson football team gathered at the team facility to find out who they would play in the first round of the College Football Playoff. When it was revealed that 12-seed Clemson would travel to Austin to take on 5-seed Texas, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was all smiles. 

What You Need To Know

  • Clemson secured the 12 seed in the College Football playoff, where they will play 5 seed Texas in round 1

  • Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik beat Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers in the 2020 Texas 6A Division 1 State Championship

  • Texas will host the first round matchup on Dec. 21 at 3 p.m.

  • Winner will play Arizona State in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on New Year's Day

Klubnik, a junior, is from Austin. He’s also no stranger to the bright lights of Texas football. The Westlake graduate was the top quarterback in his class, and took home two state championships in high school. The first of the two came against none other than Quinn Ewers and Southlake Carrol. 

The January 2021 matchup was all about the quarterbacks. Ewers had the better day through the air, but Klubnik was nearly perfect all around. Going 18-20 for 220 yards and a touchdown, Klubnik and Westlake dominated the Southlake defense. 

The two quarterbacks aren’t the only familiar names from the 2021 matchup. Texas stars Michael Taaffe and Ethan Burke both made big impacts on the game, with Taaffe forcing two interceptions and Burke causing a late fumble on Ewers. Westlake would go on to win 52-34 and Klubnik would take home the first of two state championships. 

This time around, Taaffe and Burke will line up opposite of Klubnik, with the goal of doing to him what they did to Ewers nearly four years ago.  

Clemson’s been in playoff mode. Needing to win the ACC Championship over SMU to get into the playoffs, Klubnik was once again nearly perfect. Passing for 262 yards and four touchdowns, Clemson would escape with a 3-point win and an automatic bid into the playoffs. 

Texas, on the other hand, suffered an all too familiar loss at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs. Ewers threw for 358 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in the overtime loss. Although disappointed by the loss, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian still thinks they are “plenty good enough” to win a national championship. 

Clemson and Texas will go head to head for the first time ever on Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. in a matchup with no shortage of storylines. A homecoming for Klubnik, and a thirst for revenge for Ewers, with the winner punching their ticket to Atlanta to play in the Peach Bowl.