A national outlet recently stacked up the 25 “most impactful players” in this year’s 12-team College Football Playoff field.
Among those players in that CBS Sports ranking are three who will be featured in the CFP First Round Game between 12th-seeded Clemson (10-3) and No. 5 seed Texas (11-2) on Saturday, Dec. 21.
That includes Clemson star quarterback Cade Klubnik, who checked in at No. 11 on the list.
“Like (Notre Dame QB Riley) Leonard, Klubnik’s dual-threat ability helps set the tone for Clemson’s offense,” CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah wrote. “The junior is responsible for 40 touchdowns and 3,300 yards through the air and 458 on the ground. After getting blasted by Georgia in the opener, Klubnik scored multiple touchdowns in all but one game. The only thing to watch? Klubnik was at his worst by far against tough opponents in the regular season.”
Meanwhile, two Texas standouts made the list in senior defensive back Jahdae Barron and junior offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr.
Banks appeared at No. 13 on the list, while Barron is ranked No. 8.
Barron won the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in college football.
“The fifth-year senior is an anchor for the nation’s best defense, especially against the pass,” Jeyarajah wrote. “Barron posted 47 tackles, five interceptions, nine passes defended and two tackles for loss. He has played at least 95 snaps in the box, at slot corner and wide corner.”
As for Banks, he earned the 2024 Outland Trophy as the nation’s best college interior lineman.
“Outside of an uncharacteristically bad performance during the regular season loss to Georgia, Banks has been nails,” Jeyarajah wrote. “The star left tackle has been credited with only two sacks allowed over the past two seasons by Pro Football Focus and he projects as a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Banks has a serious case for the most important offensive player of the Steve Sarkisian era so far. He’s nursing an ankle injury that held him out of the SECCG but should be good to go vs. Clemson by Dec. 21.”
Texas is currently an 11-point favorite entering what will be the first-ever meeting between the Longhorns and Tigers.
The game at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium next Saturday is set to kick off at 4 p.m. and will be televised on TNT.