No. 17 Clemson and No. 8 SMU are set to face off Saturday night inside Charlotte, North Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium with an ACC title on the road. Though they now share the ACC, this would be the first-ever between two of school soccer’s most storied applications.
It’s been fairly the ACC debut for the Mustangs, who’re considered one of 5 FBS colleges to make their convention’s championship recreation of their inaugural yr with stated convention. SMU can be the primary group in FBS historical past to make a title recreation in an influence convention after being in a Group of Five convention the yr prior.
Clemson is again within the ACC highlight for the primary time since 2022 and simply the second time since 2020. This after Clemson gained six straight ACC titles from 2015-20. The Tigers additionally claimed two nationwide championships in that span whereas establishing a formidable trendy dynasty.
Saturday is one other alternative for Tigers coach Dabo Swinney, who has come underneath elevated scrutiny in recent times, to show that his program — and philosophy — are nonetheless able to battle it out on the prime of the game. The Tigers are 3-7 of their final 10 video games towards AP-ranked opponents, together with an 0-2 exhibiting towards ranked groups in 2024.
Follow alongside LIVE as Clemson and SMU battle for the ACC Championship.
How to observe Clemson vs. SMU reside
Date: Saturday, Dec. 7 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium — Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try without spending a dime)
Clemson vs. SMU: Need to know
Major College Football Playoff implications: Thanks to an expanded College Football Playoff subject, there’s an entire lot greater than ACC glory on the road Saturday. Clemson completely must win the ACC title to make it into the playoff and certain steal a bid from one other league. Even then, there’s the potential that the Tigers don’t get a first-round bye, since they presently rank behind the potential SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Mountain West Conference champions.
SMU, in the meantime, is in respectable standing no matter what occurs, however a loss would put its destiny fully within the arms of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. The Mustangs must hope that, with 11 wins, they’ve already carried out sufficient to make the reduce. If the committee is to be believed, when it stated that convention championship losses would not harm playoff-caliber groups an excessive amount of, then SMU ought to really feel good.
SMU having fun with breakout season: This has been one of the vital prolific years in SMU’s storied historical past. The Mustangs are considered one of simply two FBS colleges, with Oregon, to go undefeated in convention play of their first yr with a convention. SMU and the Ducks are additionally the primary applications to attain that feat since Florida State in 1992. SMU additionally has a chance to turn into the third FBS program to win back-to-back championships in numerous conferences, one thing that hasn’t been completed since Texas gained the Southwest in 1995 and the Big 12 in 1996. SMU additionally gained 11 video games in consecutive seasons for the primary time in program historical past and — if it will get a twelfth win — would match a college file set in 1935. SMU’s 18-game win streak towards convention opponents is the longest such lively streak within the FBS.
Clemson protection struggling: “Struggling” is a relative time period, given how good Clemson has been on protection underneath Dabo Swinney. The Tigers are permitting 21.6 factors per recreation this season, which is respectable sufficient by itself, nevertheless it’s additionally probably the most they’ve allowed in a single season since 2015. Clemson is giving up 357.2 yards per recreation — its most since 2012 — and the Tigers have struggled notably towards the push with opponents averaging 150.3 yards on the bottom per recreation. That’s probably the most Clemson has allowed in 11 years. Again, these aren’t horrible numbers on their very own, however they’re a far cry from what we’re used to with Clemson.
Clemson vs. SMU prediction, picks
This shall be, arguably, the largest check that SMU has confronted all season — at the least since its loss to BYU in Week 2. That being stated, Clemson has some apparent shortcomings this yr. As outlined above, its protection is not fairly as much as its regular elite customary and, although the Tigers have proven a capability to place factors on the board this yr, their offense is fully too inconsistent to depend on. The Mustangs have been a dominant pressure for a majority of the yr, and I count on them to maintain issues rolling on this recreation. It shall be an in depth, hard-fought battle, however SMU triumphs in the long run. Pick: SMU -2 (-135)
SportsLine’s confirmed laptop mannequin is looking for 3 outright upsets throughout faculty soccer’s championship week. Visit SportsLine now to see all of them, plus get unfold picks for each recreation from the mannequin that simulates each matchup 10,000 occasions.
