The SMU Mustangs had never lost a conference matchup since joining the ACC, entering Saturday a spotless 10-0. But the Mustangs weren’t completely spotless against their peers in the new league. On Dec.
7, 2024 SMU competed in the ACC Championship Game, storming back from a 31-14 fourth quarter deficit to knot the game at 31-31 with 16 seconds left.
While SMU was eager to force overtime and potentially secure a bye week in the College Football Playoff, Clemson had other ideas. The Tigers walked SMU off with a 56-yard field goal, commencing an orange and purple confetti shower at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
But Saturday presented another shot for the league’s newcomer from the American Conference to unseat the powerhouse blue-blood that won two national championships and competed in four under current head coach Dabo Swinney. This time in a hostile Death Valley environment, SMU completed the mission. The Mustangs never trailed in a 35-24 road victory, improving to 11-0 in regular season ACC matchups since initiation into the conference.
SMU faced a red-hot Clemson offense which won its last two outings by a combined score of 79-20. However, the Tigers faced an uphill battle devoid of senior quarterback Cade Klubnik, who missed his first start of the season with an ankle injury. Christopher Vizzina stepped into Klubnik’s place, and there was an acclimation period as the Tigers experienced five scoreless first quarter possessions. However, the quarterback concluded the day with a respectable stat-line of 29-of-42 for 317 passing yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
However, SMU’s offense was always the aggressor. The Mustangs broke a 0-0 tie 11 minutes into the contest when Kevin Jennings fired a long shot to Jordan Hudson for a 70-yard score. The Mustangs continued to pierce into Clemson territory throughout the first half, but drives often stalled between the Tigers’ 30 and 35-yard lines. SMU entered the contest with an incredibly shaky kicking game, sinking 5-of-11 field goals on the season, but Sam Keltner was money from distance on Saturday. Keltner drained kicks of 51, 48, and 48 yards, handing SMU a 16-7 advantage going into the break.
Clemson’s best response was the Vizzina to T.J. Moore deep ball. Moore scored a 32-yard touchdown in the second quarter to put Clemson on the board, and then he extended his right hand to corral a 62-yard touchdown bomb in the third quarter — trimming the deficit to 16-14.
However, Clemson never possessed the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the second half. The Mustangs added cushion on a 35-yard sweep to Derrick McFall in the third quarter and then manufactured a 29-17 edge in the fourth, as tight end Matthew Hibner made his own one-handed grab on a 22-yard touchdown.
SMU was perfectly positioned to coast to victory, up 12 points with 11 minutes remaining and the ball. But the Mustangs’ lone turnover of the matchup occurred, awakening the Tigers’ chances. Jennings’ third down attempt to Hudson was slightly behind, and the ball deflected off Hudson’s hands into the gloves of Clemson free safety Ricardo Jones. The Tigers capitalized with a touchdown, albeit in the unlikely scenario of a 4th and 21 at the SMU 23-yard line.
Closing games was a struggle for SMU in September losses to Baylor and TCU, but the Mustangs showed tremendous growth Saturday in South Carolina. Rhett Lashlee’s team possessed the ball from the 6:44 mark to 1:03 remaining when running back Chris Johnson Jr. punched in the sealing touchdown. The drive was assisted by two key plays — a Clemson pass interference on 4th and 3 from the Tigers’ 39-yard line and a successful 26-yard connection from Jennings to Hudson on 3rd and 10 from the 35.
Jennings matched his season-high with 290 yards in a cathartic performance, putting aside memories of last year’s ACC Championship struggles to handle the Clemson defense. Hudson also left his imprint in Tiger Stadium, collecting seven receptions for a new career-high 131 yards in the road upset. One other individual performance driving the SMU victory belonged to defensive end Isaiah Smith, who racked up 1.5 of the team’s four sacks, registering five tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the victory. Thanks to Smith and Co.’s pressure up front, Clemson was subject to six three-and-outs during the ACC title rematch.
Clemson (3-4, 2-3 ACC) already matched its highest loss total since 2011. The Tigers must run the table to prevent their first 5-loss campaign in 15 years. In a 17-team league, they’re almost certainly eliminated from a chance to defend their ACC title, but there’s still time for an in-season turnaround. Next on the docket is Duke on Nov. 1 following a bye week.
SMU (5-2, 3-0 ACC) remains on track for another ACC title appearance as one of three teams spotless in the conference standings. Dating back to their American Conference days, the Mustangs now ride a 20-game regular season conference win streak, and the streak tests its mettle on the road next Saturday at Wake Forest.
