The No. 17 Clemson Tigers defeated No. 8 SMU 34-31 within the ACC Championship Game on Saturday, placing Arizona State in prime place for a first-round bye within the College Football Playoff (CFP) bracket.
Clemson was up massive within the first half, however the Mustangs clawed their manner again to tie it late within the fourth quarter. With 16 seconds remaining, Clemson bought the ball again, drove down the sector and kicked a 56-yard game-winning area aim.
Entering the day, SMU held a first-round bye on the No. 3 seed. With their loss to Clemson, the Mustangs may very well be booted from the CFP completely. The query now’s if Clemson takes over that assured bye as a convention champion, or if Arizona State jumps into that spot. ASU was ranked forward of Clemson for the rankings coming into the weekend.
The Sun Devils on Saturday took down Iowa State 45-19 within the Big 12 Championship, clinching a spot within the CFP and clinching top-of-the-line seasons in this system’s current reminiscence.
Arizona State went 11-2 on the season, with a kind of losses being with out beginning quarterback Sam Leavitt. ASU coach Kenny Dillingham made it clear that Arizona State deserves to be in dialogue for that bye.
“I believe our play, we’re 11-1 with our beginning quarterback having beat 4 ranked groups, having gained the Big 12 Championship,” Dillingham mentioned postgame Saturday. “So, I do assume as a result of we’ve made an ordinary that the quarterback is that worthwhile, I believe there ought to be an actual probability that we get a first-round bye, and I positively assume we must always (a minimum of) host a sport.”
At the beginning of Saturday, Arizona State would’ve been a 12-seed within the bracket, and with a win on Saturday together with SMU’s loss, there’s a very good probability Arizona State might basically host a CFP sport if granted the No. 4 seed for the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. There’s even a shot the Sun Devils go to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
The SEC and Big Ten have locked up first-round byes for his or her champions, however the remaining two spots (SMU, Boise State) are nonetheless unsure. Boise State, which at present holds the No. 4 seed, took down UNLV within the Mountain West Championship on Friday, giving them a very good case to maintain their first-round bye.
Nonetheless, Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez launched a press release concerning her ideas on the matter.
“Participation within the College Football Playoff isn’t about entitlement,” Nevarez mentioned within the assertion. “It shouldn’t be contingent upon a convention patch or the emblem on the helmet. It’s based mostly on efficiency and Mountain West champion Boise State’s physique of labor this season, together with an 11-game win streak, has earned it one of many prime 4 seeds forward of the Big 12 champion.”
The first spherical of the CFP is ready to kick off Dec. 20, and the quarterfinal matchups are scheduled to happen New Year’s weekend.
Arizona State’s destiny awaits because the 12-team bracket can be revealed on Sunday at 10 a.m. on ESPN. Follow alongside on the Arizona Sports app and on-line.
