No. 17 Clemson and No. 8 SMU are set to face off Saturday night inside Charlotte, North Carolina’s Financial institution of America Stadium with an ACC title on the road. Although they now share the ACC, this would be the first-ever between two of faculty soccer’s most storied packages.
It has been fairly the ACC debut for the Mustangs, who’re one among 5 FBS faculties to make their convention’s championship sport of their inaugural yr with stated convention. SMU can also be the primary crew in FBS historical past to make a title sport in an influence convention after being in a Group of 5 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 powerful fashionable dynasty.
Saturday is one other alternative for Tigers coach Dabo Swinney, who has come underneath elevated scrutiny lately, 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.
Clemson vs. SMU: Must know
Main Faculty Soccer Playoff implications: Due to an expanded Faculty Soccer Playoff area, there’s a complete lot greater than ACC glory on the road Saturday. Clemson completely must win the ACC title to make it into the playoff and sure 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 at present rank behind the potential SEC, Massive Ten, Massive 12 and Mountain West Convention champions.
SMU, in the meantime, is in first rate standing no matter what occurs, however a loss would put its destiny fully within the arms of the Faculty Soccer Playoff Choice Committee. The Mustangs must hope that, with 11 wins, they’ve already finished 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 probably the most prolific years in SMU’s storied historical past. The Mustangs are one among simply two FBS faculties, with Oregon, to go undefeated in convention play of their first yr with a convention. SMU and the Geese are additionally the primary packages to realize that feat since Florida State in 1992. SMU additionally has a chance to grow to be 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 Massive 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 faculty report set in 1935. SMU’s 18-game win streak towards convention opponents is the longest such energetic 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 sport this season, which is first rate sufficient by itself, however it’s additionally essentially the most they’ve allowed in a single season since 2015. Clemson is giving up 357.2 yards per sport — its most since 2012 — and the Tigers have struggled significantly towards the frenzy with opponents averaging 150.3 yards on the bottom per sport. That is essentially the most Clemson has allowed in 11 years. Once more, these aren’t horrible numbers on their very own, however they’re a far cry from what we’re used to with Clemson.
How you can watch Clemson vs. SMU dwell
Date: Saturday, Dec. 7 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Financial institution of America Stadium — Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: ABC | Dwell stream: fubo (Strive totally free)
Clemson vs. SMU prediction, picks
This might be, arguably, the largest check that SMU has confronted all season — at the very 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 power for a majority of the yr, and I count on them to maintain issues rolling on this sport. It is going to be a detailed, hard-fought battle, however SMU triumphs in the long run. Choose: SMU -2 (-135)
SportsLine’s confirmed laptop mannequin is looking for 3 outright upsets throughout faculty soccer’s championship week. Go to SportsLine now to see all of them, plus get unfold picks for each sport from the mannequin that simulates each matchup 10,000 occasions.
