CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Towards all odds, Clemson is headed again to the Faculty Soccer Playoff for the primary time since 2020. The Tigers secured a berth with a 34-31 win in opposition to SMU within the ACC Championship Sport Saturday night.
SMU made issues very fascinating within the fourth quarter. The Mustangs spent the second half slowly chipping away at Clemson’s 24-7 lead and drew inside seven factors with slightly below seven minutes left remaining within the fourth quarter.
Then SMU obtained the ball again with all three timeouts and 4:01 left. Quarterback Kevin Jennings seemingly despatched the sport to time beyond regulation with a four-yard landing completion to large receiver Roderick Daniels Jr.
However Clemson ripped off an extended kick return and quarterback Cade Klubnik hit large receiver Antonio Williams for a achieve of 17 to SMU’s 40-yard line. There, Clemson kicker Nolan Hauser booted an ACC Championship Sport report 56-yard kick to offer the Tigers their first ACC title since 2022.
Clemson would be the first — and maybe the one — three-loss staff to make a playoff subject. That is actuality in a 12-team format that enables the 5 highest-ranked convention champions to robotically safe a spot.
Not that the Tigers did not earn their method in. They rode a 21-point first quarter, through which quarterback Cade Klubnik grew to become the primary participant to ever toss three touchdowns within the opening body of the ACC Championship Sport.
Klubnik, an Austin, Texas product, dazzled in opposition to the Dallas-based Mustangs by tossing 4 touchdowns. He had 4 touchdowns, together with one within the third quarter to tight finish Jake Briningstool that gave Clemson a cushion down the stretch.
