AUSTIN, Texas — Jaydon Blue had the biggest run in the biggest game of the season so far for Texas. He had to fight through a nagging ankle injury and fumble problems to do it.
Blue ran for 146 yards, dashing 77 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help the Longhorns beat Clemson 38-24 on Saturday in the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff.
Blue was first thrust into the starting role when training camp injuries knocked out C.J. Baxter and Christian Clark for the season. Blue missed a game with the ankle injury, then saw his carries reduced over several games because of fumble problems.
Texas (12-2), the No. 5 seed, advanced to the Jan. 1 Peach bowl to play Big 12 champion and No. 4 seed Arizona State.
''You can't win (the championship) if you don't win the first one,'' Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. ''We did that.''
Blue already had a 38-yard touchdown earlier in the game. The second one came after Clemson had rallied from down 31-10 to within 31-24 on Cade Klubnik's third touchdown pass.
Blue scored on 38-yard cut-and-dash burst in the second quarter. On the second touchdown, he dove into the line, shook a tackler, and then outraced three more to the end zone with just 11 minutes left.
He clutched the ball tightly to his chest when a defender tried to rip it away.