Clemson wins ACC Championship, automatic playoff berth on walk-off field goal to beat SMU

Nolan Hauser’s 56-yard field goal as time expired lifted No. 17 Clemson to a 34-31 victory over No. 8 SMU in the ACC championship game.

With the win, Clemson shook up the College Football Playoff standings by earning an automatic berth in the College Football Playoff as conference champions.

SMU tied the game at 31-31 with 16 seconds left in regulation, with Kevin Jennings Roderick Daniels Jr. hit on an out route for a 4-yard touchdown. The play was reviewed, but Daniels clearly dragged his right foot into bounds for the catch.

On the ensuing kickoff, a 41-yard return from Austin Randall gave Clemson a one-play opportunity to get within field goal range. Cade Klubnik’s 17-yard pass to Antonio Williams accomplished that goal.

Klubnik threw for four touchdowns and 262 yards, completing 24 of 41 passes. Bryant Wesco Jr. grabbed eight receptions for 143 yards and two scores. Jake Briningstool also had two TDs for Clemson.

Is SMU still a playoff team?

The Tigers’ win left some questions surrounding Sunday’s selection.

Did Clemson earn a first-round bye with its win? At 10-3 and ranked lower than four other conference champions, that seems unlikely. Speculation had SMU bowing out by winning the ACC, but the Mustangs would have had a 12-1 record and been ranked above Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 15 and Mountain West champion Boise State at No. 10 . probably didn’t just save a farewell for the ACC champion.

And what about SMU? Did the loss knock them out of the playoffs despite a 10-2 record? Clemson’s win and Arizona State winning the Big 12 championship game locked up two spots that many speculated would go to No. 12 Alabama or No. 13 Miami.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney made the case for SMU in his postgame interview with ESPN’s Molly McGrath.

“That’s a playoff football team,” Swinney said, pointing to the field. “SMU, they better be in the playoffs.”

Clemson took a big lead early

The Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead, aided by SMU errors. A Kevin Jennings fumble on a sack gave Clemson the ball at the Mustangs’ 33-yard line. Two plays later, Klubnik hit Wesco for a 35-yard touchdown and the game’s opening score.

SMU went three-and-out on their next possession, but was assessed a 15-yard personal foul penalty when Davaughn Celestine’s helmet came off on a punt and he continued to play.

Between the penalty and Antonio Williams’ 21-yard return, the kick was essentially wiped out and Clemson took over at the SMU 28-yard line. Four plays later, Klubnik connected with Briningstool for a 5-yard TD pass.

SMU got on the board on its third possession, capping a 75-yard drive with a 24-yard score run by Jennings. However, Clemson answered right back with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik to Wesco. Clemson led 24-7 at halftime.

SMU rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half

The Mustangs scored on their first series of the second half, with Jennings completing four passes for 65 yards, including a 10-yard throw to Brashard Smith. That cut Clemson’s lead to 24-14. However, the Tigers completed two long drives that took almost 10 minutes to complete, the second of which resulted in a touchdown on a 5-yard reception by Briningstool.

SMU came right back and cut the margin to 10 again, capping a seven-play drive with a 20-yard touchdown by Matthew Hibner. After the defense forced Clemson into three-and-outs on consecutive possessions, the Mustangs closed to within one score on a 46-yard field goal by Collin Rogers.

Jennings passed for 304 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, completing 31 of 50 passes. Daniels had eight receptions for 97 yards and a score, joined by Hibner’s five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Brashard Smith led SMU in rushing with 113 yards on 24 carries.

Earlier in the week. SMU coach Rhett Lashlee argued that his team should be in the playoffs, win or lose, and not be punished for having to play in a conference championship game.

He repeated that claim after the defeat.

“We just played a playoff game and we played pretty well,” Lashlee said. “Our team deserves a chance to be there.”