The on-campus first-round matchups of the 2024 College Football Playoffs get rolling this weekend and the No. 12 Clemson Tigers (10-3) and the No. 5 Texas Longhorns (11-2) will square off in the second of three Saturday matchups. The Longhorns were defeated by No. 2 Georgia 22-19 in overtime in the SEC Championship Game. Meanwhile, Clemson picked up a 34-31 win over No. 11 SMU in the ACC Championship Game. The winner will advance to Peach Bowl against No. 4 Arizona State.
Kickoff from DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas., is set for 4 p.m. ET. The Longhorns are a 12.5-point favorites in the latest Clemson vs. Texas odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 51.5. Before making any Texas vs. Clemson picks, make sure to check out the bowl predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine expert Josh Nagel, considering his mastery of picks involving Texas.
Nagel is a Nevada-based handicapper with more than 25 years of experience in the sports wagering industry. SportsLine's assistant managing editor has covered the wagering industry on a variety of platforms and has won numerous sports handicapping contests. He enters this matchup on a 9-5 run on all college football spread picks and he's 25-11 (+1453) in his last 36 betting picks in games involving the Longhorns. Anyone who has followed him at sportsbooks or betting apps is way up.
Now, Nagel has locked in on Clemson vs. Texas and just revealed his college football picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several CFB odds and CFB betting lines for Texas vs. Clemson:
- Texas vs. Clemson spread: Longhorns -12.5
- Texas vs. Clemson over/under: 51.5 points
- Texas vs. Clemson money line: Texas -495, Clemson +373
- Texas vs. Clemson picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Texas vs. Clemson streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Texas can cover
Only Georgia could defeat Texas this season, and the Longhorns have playmakers all over the field for quarterback Quinn Ewers to work with. Junior receiver Matthew Golden is an explosive and dynamic pass catcher for the Longhorns. He leads the team in receiving yards (738) with 47 catches and eight touchdowns. The Texas native has gone over 70 receiving yards in three straight games. In his last game against Georgia, Golden had eight catches for 162 yards.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. is a force. He excels as a blitzer and finds his way to the ball. He leads the team in total tackles (90) and forced fumbles (4) with 7.5 sacks on the year. Freshman linebacker Colin Simmons is another difference-maker upfront. He has a team-high eight sacks with 38 tackles and three forced fumbles. Simmons has had four sacks over the last four games. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Clemson can cover
After a blowout loss to Georgia to begin the season, Clemson found its footing and was able to claim the last spot in the CFP bracket via its upset of SMU in the ACC title game. Now the Tigers are getting more than two touchdowns in the CFP opener and they have a great chance to at least keep it within the number. Junior quarterback Cade Klubnik threw for 3.303 yards and 33 touchdowns in 13 games this season. The Texas native has thrown for multiple touchdown passes in 10 games this year. In the win over SMU, Klubnik tossed 262 yards with four passing scores.
Sophomore receiver Antonio Williams is the go-to option in the passing game. Williams is a crisp route runner with strong hands. He leads the team in catches (71), receiving yards (838), and receiving touchdowns (10). The South Carolina native has logged at least 50 yards in four straight games. On Nov. 16 versus Pittsburgh, Williams had 13 catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Clemson vs. Texas picks
Nagel has analyzed Clemson vs. Texas from every possible angle. He's leaning Under on the point total and has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. Find out what it is, and which team to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Clemson vs. Texas on Saturday, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Clemson vs. Texas spread to back, all from the expert who is 25-11 on picks involving Texas, and find out.
