The No. 12-seeded Clemson Tigers (10-3) are set to go to the No. 5-seeded Texas Longhorns (11-2) within the third sport of the inaugural 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoffs on Saturday.
The Tigers, who simply squeezed their method into the playoffs after taking down No. 8 SMU within the ACC Championship, must execute virtually completely on each side of the ball in the event that they wish to defeat the Longhorns.
Listed below are three keys to a first-round upset win for Clemson:
Run the ball
Senior operating again Phil Mafah, who was awarded a spot on the 2024 third-team All-ACC checklist, has seen much less snaps just lately as he has been battling an ongoing shoulder harm.
Mafah, one of many primary items to the Clemson offense, has totaled eight touchdowns and 1,106 whole dashing yards on 214 carries this season.
Regardless of the nagging harm, the Tigers will want all he can muster in opposition to the Texas protection, one of many nation’s finest run stoppers.
Mafah might want to benefit from each run in opposition to the Longhorns since Texas’ protection has solely given up 4 passing touchdowns all season.
Find Antonio Williams
When the Tigers aren’t making an attempt to energy by with their run sport, they need to look to focus on Williams, a 5-foot-11 redshirt sophomore receiver.
The house-grown South Carolina native leads the Tigers in touchdowns this season with 10 whereas additionally main all receivers in total-yards with 838 on 71 receptions.
In six out of the ten video games that Clemson has gained this season, Williams has scored a minimum of one landing. And in three of these six wins, Williams was capable of finding the top zone twice.
Head coach Dabo Swinney and Garrett Riley, Clemson’s offensive coordinator, ought to undoubtedly have Williams circled as a primary goal of their matchup as he’ll show to be essential en path to a first-round win for the Tigers.
Keep calm
As that is the first-ever Faculty Soccer Playoff sport in Austin, we are able to count on to see the Longhorn crowd rowdier than ever.
That is solely Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik’s second season because the official starter after backing up former Tiger DJ Uiagalelei in 2022. And the 2 Clemson receivers who’re main the receiving corps in yards behind Williams — Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore — are each true freshmen.
This workforce is younger.
If the Tigers wish to follow their plans and execute, they can’t be intimidated by the group and get overwhelmed by the second.
Kick-off is about for 4:00 p.m. ET, and the sport may be seen on TNT/Max.
