When the No. 17 Clemson Tigers misplaced to in-state rival and Fifteenth-ranked South Carolina, 17-14, on rivalry weekend, the Tigers have been out of the ACC title sport.
A number of hours later, then-No. 6 Miami blew a 21-0 lead and went all the way down to Syracuse, 42-38. The Miami loss elevated Clemson again into the ACC Championship sport, the place it is going to tackle the eighth-ranked SMU Mustangs on Saturday night time.
For Clemson (9-3, 7-1 ACC), the 2024 season has seen blended outcomes. Of their season opener, the Tigers received blown out by then-No.1 Georgia (10-2), 34-3, regardless of solely trailing 6-0 on the half. Clemson went on to win its subsequent six video games earlier than struggling one other setback in opposition to Louisville (8-4), 33-21.
After a nail-biting 24-20 win over Pittsburgh that wanted a 50-yard TD run from QB Cade Klubnik with 1:16 left to flee with the victory, Clemson suffered its third loss to the Gamecocks.
Head coach Dabo Swinney had some interesting remarks in regards to the Tigers’ three losses earlier this week: “We have been the primary 15-0 nationwide championship group. Perhaps we will be the primary three-loss nationwide championship group. Boy, that will upset some folks… y’all must take a bunch of stuff again.”
Document apart, Klubnik has had an exceptional season for Clemson. The junior has 3,041 yards passing together with a career-high 29 TDs, solely 5 interceptions and the Twelfth-best QBR within the nation (80). Klubnik has additionally been arduous to cease on the bottom, with 437 yards and 7 TDs.
If Clemson goes to win the sport, it must decelerate SMU QB Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs’ run sport. Jennings has 19 TD passes along with 344 yards and 4 TDs on the bottom. RB Brashard Smith has 1,157 yards and 14 TDs.
A win for SMU (11-1, 8-0 ACC) would give it a clear sweep in its debut season within the ACC and a possible first-round bye within the Faculty Soccer Playoff. Contemplating the eventual SEC champion (No. 2 Texas or No. 5 Georgia) and Huge Ten champion (No. 1 Oregon or No. 3 Penn State) are the one two that will be forward of the Mustangs as a convention champion, a first-round bye appears probably. It’s merely a win-and-in for Clemson.
In 9 prior ACC Championship sport appearances, Clemson is 8-1, with its solely loss coming to Georgia Tech in 2009. SMU brings a nine-game profitable streak into the title sport, all with Jennings underneath middle.
There are large CFP implications as Clemson and SMU sq. off for the ACC title and a visit to the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
