Inside the Numbers: Clemson faces one of the nation's best defenses in Texas

Former Clemson DB Andrew Mukuba (4) has played an active role in Texas forcing the most turnovers in college football. (Photo: Brett Davis / USATODAY)

David Hood - Senior Writer - Friday, December 13 2024

Clemson will face one of the nation’s best defenses next weekend in Texas.

How good? Really good, and an inside look at the numbers tells the story.

Clemson travels to Austin to take on the Longhorns in the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff on Dec. 21st (4 p.m. ET) in Darrell K. Royal Stadium (TNT).

The Longhorns are ranked third nationally in total defense, giving up just 249.5 yards per game. Texas is ranked second nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 12.5 points per game.

How did Clemson fare against the top defenses it faced this season?

In the regular season, the Tigers managed 14 points against South Carolina (ranked 15th nationally), three against Georgia (35th), 24 against Virginia Tech (58th), 21 against Louisville (59th), 24 against Pitt (72nd), 59 against NC State (84th), 29 against Florida St. (88th), 48 against Virginia (103rd), 66 against Appalachian St. (108th), 40 against Stanford (110th), and 49 against Wake Forest (118th). SMU is ranked 34th nationally in total defense and the Tigers put up 34 points in the ACC Championship Game.

However, Texas didn’t exactly face a gauntlet of the nation’s top offenses. The early part of the schedule featured three non-conference snoozers against Colorado St., UTSA, and ULM. The Longhorns won those games by a combined score of 109-10. The other non-conference game was against Michigan, which Texas won 31-12. But Michigan is 128th nationally in total offense.

Texas defeated Oklahoma, 121st nationally in total offense, 34-3, defeated Miss. State (78th) 35-13, lost 30-15 to Georgia (47th), defeated Vanderbilt (123rd) 27-24, defeated Florida (81) 49-17, defeated Arkansas (13th) 20-10, defeated Kentucky (114th) 31-14, Texas A&M (52nd), 17-7, and lost to Georgia 22-19 in the SEC Championship Game.

The largest number of plays run against the Texas defense came against Miss St. (73), with six teams totaling 59 or fewer.

Texas ranks 15th nationally against the run (106.38 yards per game) and No. 1 nationally against the pass, giving up just 143.1 yards per game.

Texas gave up over 100 rushing yards seven times, twice to Georgia (108 and 141), and a season-high 197 against Florida. Kentucky managed just 21 yards on the ground in its loss.

Only two teams cracked the 200-yard mark through the air against Longhorns – Michigan (204), and Kentucky (211). Florida is the only school to crack 300 yards of total offense, with 329 yards. That 329-yard mark would serve as the fourth-lowest for the Clemson defense this season.

Texas is ninth nationally in sacks with 38 and recorded six sacks on four occasions (Miss St., Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kentucky). Freshman edge Colin Simmons leads Texas with eight sacks, while sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill registered 4.5 sacks. Fourteen different players have a spot in the sack column.

The Longhorns are seventh nationally in tackles for loss, with 95 (for 402 yards lost). Texas is third nationally in interceptions, with 19 (San Jose St. and BYU each have 20), and it collected a season-high three against Georgia in October.

Hill leads the team with 90 tackles and former Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba is fourth with 52.