Longhorns Country

Texas Longhorns RB Jaydon Blue Joins CFP Record Books

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue was crucial to the first-round win over the Clemson Tigers.

Isa Almeida

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) celebrates a touchdown during the game against Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024.
Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) celebrates a touchdown during the game against Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. / Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Jaydon Blue has been a crucial piece to the Texas Longhorns throughout the season, and the first-round College Football Playoff game against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday was no exception.

When the Tigers were nearing an even score in the fourth quarter, Blue made a game-changing play to increase the Longhorn lead. Clemson came back to life in the third quarter after going into halftime down 28-10, but eventually, the Tigers made it a one-score game at 31-24 in the fourth quarter.

Blue quickly crushed any hope Clemson had, and joined the CFP record books in the process.

On the second play of the drive after Clemson had scored, Blue took the carry and flew past the defense for a 77-yard rushing touchdown that proved to be the dagger. It marked the third-longest touchdown ever scored in a CFP game since the format's inception in 2014.

The late-game play was not the first time Blue stepped up. After losing the RB1 spot to Quintrevion Wisner earlier in the season due to fumbling issues, Blue took advantage of the opportunity when Wisner got banged up in the first half against Clemson.

Blue finished with 14 carries for a career-high 146 yards and two scores while Wisner had 15 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns of his own.

"It was a sigh of relief after everything I've been going through,” Blue said.

Early in the second quarter, Blue caught a block from tight end Juan Davis and right tackle Cam Williams before sprinting untouched for a 38-yard score to give Texas its first lead of the game at 14-7.

"(I) gave him a big hug and just told him how proud I was of him,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said of Blue.

It's safe to say that with two high-performance running backs healthy in the roster, Sarkisian doesn't have to worry much about the running game.

"The story of the game, obviously, is us finding the run game offensively," Sarkisian said.

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Isa Almeida
ISA ALMEIDA

Isa Almeida is a writer covering the Texas Longhorns for SI/Fan Nation, having joined the team on June 1, 2024. Raised in Southeast Brazil, Isa is now a third-year Journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin. Fluent in both English and Portuguese, Isa brings a diverse background and a wealth of knowledge to her writing. In addition to her work with SI/Fan Nation, Isa also covers the soccer and women's basketball beats for The Daily Texan. Her journalism journey is firmly rooted in her academic pursuits and her passion for sports.

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