It appears the Texas Longhorns have shaken off the sour taste of an SEC title game loss.

The Longhorns lost the conference championship two weeks ago, while their opponent, 12th-seeded Clemson, was on the rise after winning the ACC.

The fifth-seeded Longhorns cruised to a 38-24 win to advance out of the first round of the College Football Playoff.

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Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns throws in the first quarter against the Clemson Tigers in a first round playoff game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

It was the Tigers who struck first with a touchdown, but the Longhorns outscored them 31-3 early in the fourth quarter. But Clemson didn’t go quietly.

The Tigers scored 14 unanswered points in a span where their defense stopped Texas on a fourth-and-two from the Clemson 36. Suddenly, Texas had a seven-point lead with 11:43 left.

But just as Clemson was getting back into the game, Jaydon Blue ran for a 77-yard touchdown to put Texas back in the lead by two touchdowns.

Clemson pushed down the field to continue its attempt at a comeback, but the Tigers were overwhelmed with a fourth-and-goal from the 1st period.

The Tigers got the ball back with 1:43 left but couldn’t keep the drive alive and the Longhorns ran out of time.

Texas Longhorns defenseman Jahdae Barron (7) celebrates a play during a CFP first round game against the Clemson Tigers at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Quinn Ewers finished the game with 202 yards and went 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 and completed 26 of his 43 passes. TJ Moore led all players with nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

The Longhorns will now face Arizona State, which secured a first-round bye with the win in the Big 12, in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

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

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) celebrates his second touchdown of the game in the second quarter against the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, on December 21, 2024. (Sara Diggins/American-Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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The first-round final between Tennessee and Ohio State in Columbus begins Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.

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