Follow live: Clemson coming alive in second half, but still trailing

Follow live: Clemson coming alive in second half, but still trailing

After the College Football Playoff began on Friday with No. 7 Notre Dame handling No. 10 Indiana, Saturday gives us an entire day of action with three games wrapping up the first round of the 12-team format.

Penn State took care of business in Happy Valley to start the day, using two early pick-sixes to pull away with a 38-10 win against an overmatched SMU. Let’s hope the later games have a bit more suspense.

Follow all the action below.

Time: 8 p.m. ET | TV: ABC/ESPN | Line: Ohio State -7.5 | Total: 46.5

Ohio State enters the playoff on a mission while coming off a painful loss to hated rival Michigan. Can coach Ryan Day get his team back on track? As the over/under indicates, this will not likely be the offensive shootout that many would have predicted before the season began. These two teams have offenses that can hit for a big play at any moment, but both teams have relied on excellent defenses.

Live71 updates

  • Clemson threatening again

    Cade Klubnik is throwing it all over the yard and he’s led the Tigers inside the 5-yard line, but Clemson just burned a timeout before facing a 3rd and goal.

  • Texas RBs ruling

    Longhorns RBs today:

    Jaydon Blue: 12 carries, 146 yards, 2 TDs

    Quintrevion Wisner: 12 carries, 110 yards, 2 TDs

  • Touchdown Texas!

    Jaydon Blue unleashes a 77-yard TD run!

    Instant answer for the Longhorns, who are right back to a 2-TD lead.

  • Touchdown Clemson!

    Cade Klubnik finds T.J. Moore in the end zone on a 4th and 6 pass. The clutch play makes it a one-score game. We’ve got a ballgame here in Austin early in the 4th!

    Texas 31, Clemson 24

  • Texas turnover on downs

    A Longhorns drive makes it into Clemson territory by Quinn Ewers throws incomplete on 4th and 2.

    Clemson takes over with a chance to cut further into the lead.

  • Touchdown Clemson!

    That happened fast. Two big pass plays and the Tigers are in the end zone.

    Cade Klubnik fired it to Jarvis Green for a 25-yard score, and Clemson has life!

    Texas 31, Clemson 17

  • Clemson punts again

    Cade Klubnik took an ugly sack, fumbling it away before his teammate eventually recovered, and that pretty much killed another drive for the Tigers.

    Texas gets it back.

    Only so many more chances for Clemson to try to get back into this game.

  • Texas adds a FG

    Bert Auburn hits from 22 yards to extend the Longhorns’ lead.

    Texas got near the goal line after a PI call, but unable to get into the end zone.

  • Arch Manning appearance!

    Manning had already entered the game earlier for a handoff, but this time he drops back to pass and ends up scrambling for a first down on a 3rd-and-1 play.

  • 2nd half begins

    Texas receives the 2nd-half kickoff and will try to extend its lead here.

  • Halftime stats

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  • Halftime: Texas 28, Clemson 10

    The Texas offense is putting on a clinic so far. Can Clemson do anything to stop it in the second half or are we looking at a third straight playoff blowout?

  • Touchdown Texas!

    Quinn Ewers fires it to Gunnar Helm for a 19-yard TD toss. Big answer for the Longhorns following the turnover. And they extend their lead right before halftime.

    Texas 28, Clemson 10

  • Clemson kicks FG

    Nolan Hauser knocks it in from 32 yards and Clemson cuts into the lead a bit.

    Texas 21, Clemson 10 | 1:33 in 2nd

  • Clemson interception!

    Quinn Ewers’ pass is picked off by Clemson’s R.J. Mickens after the ball bounced off a receiver’s hands.

    The ball was actually returned to the end zone, but the touchdown was called back on an illegal blindside block.

    Either way, a huge play for Clemson, which takes over at its own 46.

  • Clemson offense stuck in neutral

    Ever since its opening-drive TD, Clemson’s offense hasn’t been able to do much.

    Here’s how its drives have ended since then:

    • Punt

    • Punt

    • Interception

    • Punt

  • Texas turns over on downs

    Clemson gets a defensive stop it desperately needed, stuffing Jaydon Blue on a 4th down run at the 18-yard line.

  • Texas interception!

    Cade Klubnik’s pass is deflected into the air and Texas’ Collin Simmons comes down with it.

    The momentum is VERY much with the burnt orange right now.

  • Texas dominating on the ground

    Texas already has 122 net rushing yards, averaging 7.7 yards per rush.

    Longhorns have 3 rushing TDs on 3 offensive drives so far.

  • Touchdown Texas!

    It’s Quintrevion Wisner into the end zone again, this one from 16 yards out. The O-line opened up a gaping hole for him to run through.

    Longhorns are cooking so far, and running the ball at will.

    Texas 21, Clemson 7

  • Touchdown Texas!

    This time the Longhorns move quickly as Jaydon Blue busts a 38-yard TD run down the sideline.

    That was a 5-play, 65-yard drive on ALL RUNS.

    Just like that the Longhorns lead 14-7.

  • Clemson punts on 4th and 1

    The Tigers opted to kick it away on 4th and about a foot from their own 34-yard line.

    Playing it safe early in this one.

  • Touchdown Texas!

    Longhorns match the Tigers with a long TD drive of their own.

    Quintrevion Wisner finishes it with a 3-yard run.

    It’s all tied up 7-7.

  • Touchdown Clemson!

    Cade Klubnik finds Antonio Williams on a 22-yard catch and run for the score on 3rd down.

    What a start for the underdog Tigers here!

    Clemson 7, Texas 0

  • Nice start for Clemson

    Cade Klubnik and the Tigers have a nice drive going to start this game.

    It’s first down at the Texas 25 as Clemson burns its first timeout.

  • And we’re off!

    Texas kicks off to start things off in Austin. Clemson will begin with the ball.

  • Alright, alright, alright

  • CFP bracket

    Here’s where the bracket stands after the first two playoff games:

  • Texas WR Isaiah Bond won’t play

    The Longhorns will be without one of its top receiving weapons today.

  • Texas-Clemson on tap

    Game 2 of the Saturday playoff tripleheader is just minutes away in Austin.

    The winner of No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Clemson will face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1.

  • As college football evolves and parity spreads, Dabo Swinney still prefers ‘old way’

    CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 07: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) share a moment after the victory during the ACC championship football game between the SMU Mustangs and the Clemson Tigers on December 7, 2024 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte N.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

    Click the photo above to read the story. (John Byrum/Getty Images)

  • Final: PSU 38, SMU 10

  • SMU waves the white flag

    The Mustangs have punted it back to the home team with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game.

  • Time running out for SMU

    PSU was smarter with its next possession, running the ball and milking the clock a bit before giving it back to SMU on a punt.

    There’s 2:46 left now.

  • Touchdown SMU!

    The Mustangs are finally in the end zone after a 28-yard TD throw from Kevin Jennings to Roderick Daniels Jr.

    There’s 7:30 left in this one.

    PSU 38, SMU 10

  • Interception SMU!

    Welp. Instead of running the ball, PSU opts for a Ethan Grunkemeyer pass and it’s tipped into the hands of SMU’s Brandon Crossley.

    The Ponies will have the ball at the PSU 40-yard line.

  • The Nittany Lions have the ball back and will presumably bleed as much time off the clock as possible with this drive. Backup QB Ethan Grunkemeyer is in the game for Drew Allar

    There’s 10 minutes left in the game.

  • Touchdown Penn State

    This thing is all but over now. The Nittany Lions moved the ball with ease as Kaytron Allen capped off a 9-play, 75-yard drive with a short TD run.

    PSU 38, SMU 3

  • End of 3Q: PSU 31, SMU 3

    The Ponies are going to need a miracle now.

  • Penn State moving the ball

    The Nittany Lions are over midfield and nearing the red zone now as the third quarter winds down.

  • SMU misses FG

    The Mustangs made it all the way down to the 2-yard line, but several miscues backed them all the way back to the 25-yard line and Collin Rogers’ FG attempt came up just short.

  • SMU on the march

    The Ponies are moving the ball and in the red zone after a long Kevin Jennings completion. They desperately need to get into the end zone on this drive.

  • PSU adds field goal

    The Nittany Lions are back up 28 after a short drive ends with a 40-yard field goal by Ryan Barker.

    PSU 31, SMU 3

  • SMU on the board with FG

    The Ponies were moving the ball well and made it inside the 10-yard line before multiple false start penalties killed their momentum. They settled for a short field goal for their first points of the game.

    PSU 28, SMU 3

  • SMU on the march

    The Ponies are moving the ball with pace now after a long completion and an illegal hands to the face penalty on PSU. They’re inside the red zone now.

  • SMU has ball first after halftime

    The second half is underway and the Ponies will start with the ball. Let’s see if they can mount a comeback like they did in the ACC title game against Clemson.

  • Lane Kiffin continues complaining

    The Ole Miss coach was harping on the CFP selection committee last night during Indiana’s loss and now he’s doing the same while SMU struggles against Penn State.

  • Halftime: PSU 28, SMU 0

    It was all Penn State in the first half as SMU’s Kevin Jennings threw three picks and two of them were returned for touchdowns.

    Penn State is in control at the halftime break. (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports)

    Penn State is in control at the halftime break. (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports)

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