The nation's top defense felt it could contain Cade Klubnik.
Two boxes checked would mean the first College Football Playoff win in program history.
Some notable names went down with injuries on one play, but the No.5 Horns overcame and advanced.
The Horns will play the Big 12 champion Sun Devils at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on New Year's Day. The Horns improved to 12-2, its second straight 12-win season under coach Steve Sarkisian.
Texas ruined Westlake legend Cade Klubnik's homecoming. The Clemson quarterback, in his first game at Royal-Memorial Stadium since leading the Chaparrals to a playoff win over Vandergrift en route to a Class 6A Division I championship win over Quinn Ewers and Southlake Carroll, was as good as advertised. He completed 26 of 43 passes for 336 yards and three touchdown passes, including a fourth-down scoring strike to T.J. Moore to pull the Tigers to within 31-24 early in the fourth quarter.
Not to be outdone, running back Jaydon Blue put a charge into the sellout crowd with a 77-yard scoring sprint to put the Horns back up by 14 two plays later. The play started with him avoiding a potential strip before he outraced two Tigers to the end zone in the highest scoring Longhorn win since a 31-14 takedown of Kentucky on Senior Day.
Klubnik was amazing in his Austin return, driving the Tigers down to the goal line, but Texas tackle Bill Norton stopped Keith Adams Jr. to preserve the double-digit lead, essentially foiling Clemson's upset bid.
It was undoubtedly the most complete game the Horns have played in all phases since the 49-17 win over Florida, the second of five straight wins to end the regular season.
With 2:45 remaining in the first half, Ewers hit running back Quintrevion Wisner in the flat. Wisner was awkwardly tackled to the ground and was helped to the sideline with what appeared to be a lower body injury. He did return for the second half. Tackle Cam Williams was rolled up on while blocking in the same sequence. He returned for one play before he was shut down for the rest of the game.
One play later, center Jake Majors went down after a blindside block on a Ewers interception and did not return.
The Horns won this game with a familiar formula: a physical run game and a playmaking defense that bent but seldom broke. With left tackle Kelvin Banks back after missing the SEC title loss to Georgia with an ankle injury, Ewers enjoyed much better protection than that fateful day in Atlanta when the line gave up six sacks. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 202 yards, a touchdown and one interception that came on a deflection by DeAndre Moore Jr.
The Horns led 28-10 at the half after running for 148 yards and passing for another 141. Ewers completed the scoring with a 19-yard TD pass to Gunnar Helm. Wisner and backfield mate Jaydon Blue rushed for the other three. Wisner rushed 15 times for 110 yards and two scores while Blue carried the ball 14 times for 146 yards and two more scores, including the 77-yarder.
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