SMU came back from down 17 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough.
Clemson knocked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to earn a 34-31 victory in the ACC title game, earning an automatic bid into the College Football Playoff.
The Tigers were ranked 17th in the nation, so at least one team inside the top-12 is going to get the boot from the playoff.
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(L-R) Head coach Rhett Lashlee of the SMU Mustangs and head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers speak before the 2024 ACC Football Championship at Bank of America Stadium on December 07, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
SMU, ranked 8th in the nation entering the title game, now may just be on the outside looking in.
The Ponies’ fate is in the hands of the CFP committee, but if Dabo Swinney were on it, his decision would be clear.
“That’s a playoff team. SMU, they better be in that dang playoff,” he told ESPN on the field after the game.
“There’s no way they shouldn’t be in these playoffs.”
Swinney and Rhett Lashlee shared a long embrace at midfield upon the winning field goal going through the posts, and it’s hard to imagine Swinney did not share those sentiments with the SMU head coach.
Head Coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers speaks to his team during the first half of the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 07, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
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SMU tied the game with 16 seconds left after a 16-play drive, but Adam Randall returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to their own 45. Cade Klubnik then found Antonio Williams for 17 yards, and the Tigers called a timeout, bringing out Nolan Hauser, who drilled the 56-yarder with plenty to spare.
Clemson and Arizona State will be in contention for the final bye into the quarterfinals – the Sun Devils walloped Iowa State in the Big 12 championship on Saturday afternoon.
Nolan Hauser #81 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates with teammates after kicking the game winning field goal after the 2024 ACC Football Championship at Bank of America Stadium on December 07, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
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Of course, the committee decided to move to 12 teams in order for there to be more room for error; given the controversy of leaving out Florida State last year, who would have thought this would still be difficult?
The entire field will be announced on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.
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