It seems like the Texas Longhorns got rid of the sour taste from a SEC title game loss.

The Longhorns dropped the conference championship two weeks ago, while their opponent, 12-seeded Clemson, was riding high after winning the ACC.

The fifth-seeded Longhorns came away with a 38-24 victory to advance past the first round of the College Football Playoff.

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It was the Tigers who struck first with a touchdown, but the Longhorns outscored them 31-3 heading into the fourth quarter. But, Clemson did not go quietly. 

The Tigers scored 14 unanswered points during a span that included its defense stopping Texas on a fourth and 2 from the Clemson 36. Suddenly, it was a seven-point Texas lead with 11:43 to go.

Just as Clemson was getting back into the game, though, Jaydon Blue scampered for a 77-yard touchdown to put Texas back up by two touchdowns.

Clemson drove down the field to continue its attempt at a comeback, but the Tigers were stuffed on a fourth and goal from the 1.

The Tigers got the ball back again with 1:43 to go but were unable to keep a drive alive, and the Longhorns ran out the clock.

Quinn Ewers finished with 202 passing yards, going 17-for-24 through the air. Blue and Quintrevion Wisner combined for 256 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries.

Clemson's Cade Klubnik threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, completing 26 of his 43 passes. T.J. Moore led all players with nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

The Longhorns will now face Arizona State, which earned a first-round bye by winning the Big 12, in the Peach Bowl New Year's Day.

Home teams are 3-0 in the first three games of the new 12-team format. Each winning team has covered the spread. 

The first-round finale between Tennessee and Ohio State in Columbus kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Saturday.

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SMU came back from down 17 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough.

Clemson knocked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to earn a 34-31 victory in the ACC title game, earning an automatic bid into the College Football Playoff.

The Tigers were ranked 17th in the nation, so at least one team inside the top-12 is going to get the boot from the playoff.

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SMU, ranked 8th in the nation entering the title game, now may just be on the outside looking in.

The Ponies' fate is in the hands of the CFP committee, but if Dabo Swinney were on it, his decision would be clear.

"That's a playoff team. SMU, they better be in that dang playoff," he told ESPN on the field after the game. 

"There's no way they shouldn't be in these playoffs."

Swinney and Rhett Lashlee shared a long embrace at midfield upon the winning field goal going through the posts, and it's hard to imagine Swinney did not share those sentiments with the SMU head coach.

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SMU tied the game with 16 seconds left after a 16-play drive, but Adam Randall returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to their own 45. Cade Klubnik then found Antonio Williams for 17 yards, and the Tigers called a timeout, bringing out Nolan Hauser, who drilled the 56-yarder with plenty to spare.

Clemson and Arizona State will be in contention for the final bye into the quarterfinals – the Sun Devils walloped Iowa State in the Big 12 championship on Saturday afternoon.

Of course, the committee decided to move to 12 teams in order for there to be more room for error; given the controversy of leaving out Florida State last year, who would have thought this would still be difficult?

The entire field will be announced on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.

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SMU football team will be traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina with reinforcements for Saturday night’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship game against Clemson. But not everyone is onboard with the latest roster addition. 

SMU announced earlier this week that the team mascot, Peruna, will make the journey with the team to support the Mustangs as they try to remain perfect through conference play and secure a spot in the newly expanded College Football Playoffs.

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But People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) fired off a letter to SMU President R. Gerald Turner on Friday urging the university "to cancel the senseless stunt and put an end to the school’s archaic tradition of having a live mascot." 

"Ponies are prey animals whose instinct is to panic and flee from startling noises, yet SMU plans to parade this pony like a toy in front of a stadium full of screaming fans, noisemakers, and a band," PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a statement. 

"PETA is urging SMU to consider Peruna IX’s perspective, cancel this appearance, and leave ponies in peace by ending the school’s live mascot program."

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In a post on X, PETA said "ponies are living individuals, NOT props for your championship game," adding that exposing the animal to the packed crowd at Bank of America Stadium is "cruel & senseless." 

Despite the protest, Peruna IX will be in Charlotte on Saturday night.  

Peruna IX, a colt, has been the SMU mascot since 2011. SMU’s first live mascot appeared in 1932 and, for the first 60 years or so, Peruna would charge the field after every SMU touchdown. Now Peruna leads the team onto the field and runs between quarters. 

Saturday’s ACC title game kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.

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