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Christian Clark emerges for the Longhorns in a feisty Citrus Bowl win over Michigan

by: Evan Vieth12/31/25

After the regular season ended, Christian Clark couldn’t have been overly pleased with how the year had gone.

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He had just 35 total carries on the year, just eight of which came against SEC opponents, and he had averaged a meager 3.7 yards per carry. In a year where Longhorn fans were hoping the redshirt freshman could ignite a struggling RB room, Clark didn’t look like the electric RB we’d been hoping to find since he came on campus.

But with the portal entrances of Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter, the two top backs for Texas, Clark assumed a starting role at the RB spot, one that Texas fans were concerned about heading into the game. Could Texas control the clock and pound the rock against a good Michigan front?

With questions about his ability to do so looming, Clark erased all doubt, from start to finish, in Orlando as the Longhorns beat the Wolverines 41-27 in a thrilling win.

Clark started the game efficiently, rushing for 22 yards, bouncing to his right on his first carry of the game, registering 36 yards and a TD on his first six attempts in the first and early second quarters.

Clark would continue to be a beneficial part of the Longhorn offensive attack. For the majority of the second half, Texas was without five of its seven most utilized skill players from the 2025 season, but it didn’t matter.

Between heroics from Arch Manning, some turnovers on the other side, and the steadiness of Clark, Texas would eclipse 40 points with over three minutes left in the game. Clark had far and away the most yards on the team (outside of Manning), ending the game with 105 yards on 20 attempts and a TD. It was the second-most rushing yards in a game by a Texas RB all season.

Clark reminded fans exactly why they were so excited about him entering the season. This was really a true freshman year for him, as he suffered a torn Achilles before his first season in Austin could even get started in 2024.

In hindsight, this is probably a player Texas could’ve utilized more in 2025, and one that came up big when they needed it to secure their 10th win of the season, the third straight year Texas has reached double-digit wins.

Either way, Clark has solidified himself as a key asset for next year’s team, one that can be relied on to make the right cuts and work through contact in the run game. That kind of play was vital today, and the Longhorns will need more of that in an all-in 2026 season.

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