AUSTIN, Texas – During its first trip through the SEC and second trip to the College Football Playoff, Texas experienced some disappointing moments.

In the second half of the regular season, red zone problems plagued a Texas offense that had the talent to be among the best in the country. There was no running game from the Longhorns in their SEC Championship Game loss to Georgia earlier this month. At times there were ball losses and security problems, as well as injuries to important players. At times, the Longhorns have made winning seem harder than it should, leading critics to question their high ranking and voice criticism of their resume, which did not include wins over top 25 teams in the playoffs .

But in fifth-seeded Texas’ 38-24 first-round playoff win over No. 12 seed Clemson on Saturday, the Longhorns showed why they’re a trendy pick to advance deep in the league. The shortcomings they have can be masked by excellence in other areas. That’s the beauty of building a roster as strong and talented as Texas in the fourth year of the Steve Sarkisian era.

In many ways, Texas’ victory over Clemson epitomized what the Longhorns were that year: a complete, if imperfect, team. And in a tournament without a dominant power or overwhelming favorite, Texas has as good a chance as anyone to win the national championship trophy with a favorable draw.

Offensively, the Longhorns are explosive enough to take the lead or hold off a team. They led this team 31-10 midway through the third quarter. A hot start from quarterback Quinn Ewers, who completed his first eight passes, and a dominant running game helped the Longhorns gain control.

Defensively, Texas is physical and, above all, consistent. The Longhorns kept Clemson’s running game quiet except for a 41-yard run by receiver Adam Randall. The Tigers managed just 76 yards on the ground and the Longhorns had been working with mobile quarterback Cade Klubnik for most of the day.

Neither side was perfect. Ewers’ ninth attempt bounced off the hands of receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. and landed in the hands of Clemson’s RJ Mickens, causing him to lose the ball. Ewers completed just nine of his final 16 passes and missed the target on a crucial fourth-down attempt in the second half.

Klubnik had early success attacking the Longhorns’ secondary, completing four passes of 25 or more yards in the late third and early fourth quarters to cut Clemson’s deficit to seven points.

But in crucial moments, the Longhorns responded. After Ewers’ interception, he led a touchdown drive on the next series, finding tight end Gunnar Helm in the back of the end zone to extend Texas’ lead to 18.

When the Tigers cut Texas’ 14-point lead to seven, the Longhorns responded emphatically. Jaydon Blue’s 77-yard touchdown run came less than a minute after Clemson cut the lead.

Later in the fourth quarter, as Clemson threatened to make it a one-score game again, the Longhorns’ defensive front stood steady. Since the Tigers faced third-and-goal from the first minute, safety Michael Taaffe and linebacker David Gbenda Klubnik relied on a quarterback keeper. On the fourth-and-goal, Clemson tried to do what Texas A&M couldn’t do three weeks ago: hand the ball to the running back with a diving play.

This attempt ended the same way as one: the Texas defensive line imposed its will at the line of scrimmage and executed a fourth-down stop. This time it was defensive tackle Bill Norton who used his 335 pounds to clog up the middle and stop Clemson running back Keith Adams Jr., ending the Tigers’ last real chance to keep up.

“It was just typical of us,” Sarkisian said. “We have big guys and they know how to play physical football.”

It’s easy to forget that Texas was shorthanded in several areas on Saturday. Isaiah Bond, Texas’ speedy receiver transfer from Alabama, missed the game with an ankle injury. But Helm, Matthew Golden and Ryan Wingo stepped up.

The Longhorns’ running back depth chart, which had been thin all season due to injuries, took a hit when Tre Wisner had to leave the game. No worries. Blue responded with a season-high 146 yards and two touchdowns.

The offensive line lost two starters, center Jake Majors and right tackle Cam Williams, in the second quarter. Texas moved left guard Hayden Conner to center, then switched on Cole Hutson (left guard) and Trevor Goosby (right tackle) and continued to run the ball effectively and protect Ewers. He was released only once after the lineup was reshuffled.

It’s not the first time the O-line has seamlessly adjusted mid-stream. In the regular season finale against Texas A&M, All-American left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. left with an ankle injury and Goosby replaced with minimal problems.

“It’s definitely a brotherhood,” Conner said. “We all depend on each other. We trust each other, when Kelvin failed at A&M, Goosby came in, we didn’t miss a beat. That’s why we practice.”

The Longhorns have overwhelmed their teams, winning each of their first six games by at least three points. They have endured low-scoring slugfests against Arkansas and Texas A&M. In October, they won at Vanderbilt by three.

They did it with flashy quarterback play and speedy receivers or dominance at the line of scrimmage. They have crushed teams with their defensive front. The fact that they can do all of these things makes the Longhorns dangerous.

Texas’ playoff path from here is friendly. The Longhorns return to Atlanta, where they played for the SEC title two weeks ago, to face Arizona State, the lowest-seeded conference champion who earned a first-round bye. The Sun Devils finished the regular season as one of the hottest teams in the country, but Texas has a significant talent advantage.

If the Longhorns win the Peach Bowl, they will face their semifinal opponent in the Lone Star State at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, less than a three-hour drive from campus. If the Longhorns get that far, it’s easy to imagine a sea of ​​burnt orange at JerryWorld on January 10th. Georgia, the team that was Texas’ kryptonite, is on the other side of the bracket and the Longhorns don’t have to see the Bulldogs unless they both reach the national title game.

First, Texas has to get past the Big 12 champions. But Sarkisian knows Texas can deliver, no matter what it takes.

“That’s the beauty of this team … we can win games in a lot of different ways,” Sarkisian said. “We can win a low-scoring, tight defense, but we can also score points … and extend the lead if we need to.”

“We are not just one-dimensional. … And I think there’s more we can improve on.”

(Photo: Jack Gorman/Getty Images)