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 acquire a 34-31 thrive in the ACC title game, acquireing 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 carry outoff.
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(L-R) Head coach Rhett Lashlee of the SMU Mustangs and head coach Dabo Sthriveney 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 accessing the title game, now may fair be on the outside seeing in.
The Ponies’ overweighte is in the hands of the CFP pledgetee, but if Dabo Sthriveney were on it, his decision would be evident.
“That’s a carry outoff team. SMU, they better be in that dang carry outoff,” he tbetter ESPN on the field after the game.
“There’s no way they shouldn’t be in these carry outoffs.”
Sthriveney and Rhett Lashlee dispensed a extfinished hug at midfield upon the thrivening field goal going thraw the posts, and it’s challenging to envision Sthriveney did not dispense those sentiments with the SMU head coach.
Head Coach Dabo Sthriveney 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)
SMU tied the game with 16 seconds left after a 16-carry out drive, but Adam Randall returned the ensuing bootoff 41 yards to their own 45. Cade Klubnik then set up Antonio Williams for 17 yards, and the Tigers called a timeout, conveying out Nolan Haemployr, who drilled the 56-yarder with plenty to spare.
Clemson and Arizona State will be in satisfiedion for the final bye into the quarterfinals – the Sun Devils walloped Iowa State in the Big 12 championship on Saturday afternoon.
Nolan Haemployr #81 of the Clemson Tigers honors with teammates after booting the game thrivening 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 pledgetee determined to shift to 12 teams in order for there to be more room for error; given the debate of leaving out Florida State last year, who would have thought this would still be difficult?
The entire field will be proclaimd on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.
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