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AUSTIN, Texas — Coach Steve Sarkisian said he had a simple message for his offensive line and running backs after Texas‘ SEC title game loss to Georgia, the Longhorns’ second loss to the Bulldogs this season.

“Run to win.”

Texas ran for just 60 yards in the two games against Georgia — 29 in a 30-15 defeat in Austin in October and 31 in a 22-19 overtime loss two weeks ago.

On Saturday, in the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff, the Longhorns ran for a season-high 292 yards in a 38-24 win over Clemson. Now, they will run all the way back to Atlanta, the site of that second Georgia loss, with a quarterfinal trip to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl to face Arizona State on Jan. 1.

“We needed to run the football to win this game,” Sarkisian said. “We’re going to need to run the football to advance in these playoffs. That’s what playoff football’s about.”

Running back Jaydon Blue, who struggled with an ankle injury early in the season and missed the UTSA game, reeled off 38- and 77-yard scoring runs, both on audibles called by quarterback Quinn Ewers, who finished 17-of-24 passing for 202 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

Blue, who had lost four fumbles previously in the campaign and was carrying a football around a month ago to highlight ball security after fumbling against Kentucky, had 2 yards on two carries in the two Georgia games. On Saturday, he rushed for a career-high 146 yards, calling it a “sigh of relief.”

“Going back to the SEC championship, we didn’t run the ball well at all,” Blue said. “[Sarkisian] just stayed on us in practice. The O-line, running backs, the whole offense took that in, and we were more physical in practice. He really made a big emphasis on us running the ball.”

And the Longhorns managed it against Clemson despite some key linemen suffering injuries in the game.

Shortly before halftime, center Jake Majors and right tackle Cameron Williams were hurt. Hayden Conner moved from left guard to center, with backup center Cole Hutson playing left guard and Trevor Goosby at right tackle.

Meanwhile, Clemson’s offense was able to press Texas. The Longhorns, which hadn’t allowed more than 350 yards to any team this season, gave up 412 yards, including 336 yards and three touchdowns through the air from Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik. Texas had allowed just four previous touchdown passes all season.

The contest represented a rematch of the 2020 Texas state championship game between Ewers, who was born in San Antonio, and Klubnik, an Austin native playing against several former high school teammates on the Longhorns squad.

Texas safety Michael Taaffe, one of Klubnik’s best friends, said after Saturday’s game that the signal-caller posed challenges that the Longhorns hadn’t previously seen this season.

“When you look across the sideline, no matter how close you are with the other opponent, they’re your opponent,” Taaffe said of Klubnik. “We were definitely sharing words back and forth. So, that was fun. But then, at the end of the game, it’s all love. He had a great game. … He helped us get ready for next Saturday, for sure. So hats off to Cade; he’s a baller.”

Sarkisian said this team has proved to him it is versatile and resilient.

“I don’t know if this was our best game defensively, but when we had to have it, they made those plays. To me, that’s a sign of a great defense,” Sarkisian said.

And after Clemson rallied from a 31-10 deficit to make it 31-24 after Klubnik’s third TD throw, Blue was off on that 77-yarder early in the fourth quarter. Sarkisian saw it as a sign of resolve, both for Blue and the Longhorns.

“He was able to continue to work and improve his game and then have a game like this in the playoff,” Sarkisian said of Blue. “Just really proud of him, but I think that is kind of symbolic of everybody on our team. Everybody’s been dealing with stuff.

“I know one thing about our team, it’s that when times get tough, we respond. And Jaydon was a great example of that.”

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Devils’ Nemec, scratched in G1, plays 2OT hero

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Devils' Nemec, scratched in G1, plays 2OT hero

NEWARK, N.J. — Simon Nemec hasn’t had an ideal start to his NHL career. But in Game 3 of the New Jersey Devils‘ Stanley Cup playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, he finally had his career highlight.

The 21-year-old defenseman scored an unassisted goal at 2:36 of double overtime on Friday night to give the Devils a 3-2 win and new life, cutting the Hurricanes’ series lead to 2-1.

In the process, Nemec, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL draft, had the most impactful moment of his pro career with his first playoff goal.

“I was so happy,” he said. “Amazing feeling. It’s been a tough season for me, and that’s a really big win for us.”

A native of Slovakia, Nemec spent his first season after the draft in the American Hockey League. He split time between the AHL and the Devils in Year 2, thrust into action because of injuries to the New Jersey defense. He split time between the NHL and the minors again this season. Nemec has played 87 games in the NHL, with five goals and 18 assists while skating to a minus-17.

He was a frequent healthy scratch in New Jersey, including Game 1 on Sunday, and his lackluster play caused many to wonder if Nemec would live up to his lofty draft position. Nemec was last on the Devils in goals above replacement at minus-8.7, according to Evolving Hockey.

Thanks to injuries to defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon, Nemec was called upon in Game 2 against Carolina and was back in the lineup for Game 3, in which the Devils lost defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to injury after just 10 shifts. That injury, plus the multiple overtimes, meant massive increases in ice time for veterans such as Brian Dumoulin (36:29) and Brett Pesce (32:25), as well as more responsibility for Nemec.

“You just need guys to step up at the right times,” Dumoulin said. “He knew he was going to be going out there, we’re going to be relying on him, and we needed him. You could see that he took that moment. He wasn’t scared of it, and he took the reins of it.”

Nemec said the overtime goal, which beat Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen (34 saves), was the kind of boost he needs in his career.

“Yeah, it helps me a lot,” he said. “I feel like my confidence is back the last couple games. I’m just trying to play my game and do this stuff. I have to play offense a little bit, too, so my confidence is higher, and I just feel good about myself.”

Devils coach Sheldon Keefe admitted that he dreamed about defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who returned to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 4 and played 27:09, being the Game 3 hero.

“But if I was really thinking, I would have said, ‘Wouldn’t this be something if the young guy who just stepped up so big for us here, if he ended the game?'” Keefe said.

The message the coach gave his team in the overtime intermissions was one of aggressiveness. That apparently wasn’t lost on Nemec.

“We’ve got to go win this hockey game. We don’t want to sit back, we don’t want this game to go on forever,” Keefe said. “Credit Nemo with doing that. To have the mindset to do it, not just sitting back and conserving energy. He was on the front foot. You love to see it and love to see him get rewarded.”

Game 4 of the series will be Sunday afternoon in New Jersey.

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Follow live: Kings look to take 3-0 series lead vs. Oilers

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Hagel suspended for Game 3 due to hit on Barkov

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Hagel suspended for Game 3 due to hit on Barkov

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday night for what it labeled “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent” that injured Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.

Hagel will miss Saturday’s Game 3 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers lead the series 2-0.

Around midway through the third period of Thursday’s Game 2, Tampa Bay was on the power play while trailing 1-0. Barkov pressured defenseman Ryan McDonagh deep in the Lightning zone. With the puck clearly past Barkov, Hagel lined him up for a huge hit that sent the Panthers captain to the ice and thumping off the end boards.

A penalty was whistled, and the officials conferred before calling a “five-minute penalty.” After review, Hagel was given a 5-minute major for interference. Barkov left the game with 10:09 remaining in regulation and did not return to the Panthers’ 2-0 win.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game that he didn’t expect Hagel to receive a major penalty for the hit.

“Refs make the call. I was a little surprised it was a five, but it was,” he said.

The NHL ruled that Hagel’s hit made “some head contact” on Barkov.

“It’s important to note that Barkov is never in possession of the puck on this play and is therefore not eligible to be checked in any manner,” the league said.

In the Friday hearing, held remotely, Hagel argued that he approached the play anticipating that Barkov would play the puck. But the Department of Player Safety said the onus was on Hagel to ensure that Barkov was eligible to be checked. It also determined that the hit had “sufficient force” for supplemental discipline.

It’s Hagel’s first suspension in 375 regular-season and 36 playoff games. He was fined for boarding Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen in May 2022.

The Panthers held an optional skate Friday. Coach Paul Maurice said Barkov “hasn’t been ruled out yet” but “hasn’t been cleared” for Game 3.

“He’s an irreplicable player,” Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said of Barkov. “One of the best centermen in the league. He’s super important to our team.”

The Lightning lose Hagel while they struggle to score in the series; they scored two goals in Game 1 and were shut out in Game 2. Tampa Bay was the highest-scoring team in the regular season (3.56), with Hagel contributing 35 goals and 55 assists in 82 games.

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