The Clemson Tigers take on the SMU Mustangs in the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game on Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Tigers enter the game as the No. 18 team in the Week 15 AP Top 25, falling six spots after last week's 17-14 loss to South Carolina to finish the season.
Clemson concluded their regular season with a 9-3 record, finishing 7-1 on the year in ACC matchups.
SMU has made it to the ACC Championship in its first season in the conference after the league's expansion over the offseason. The Mustangs enter Saturday as the No. 8 team in the AP Poll, finishing the regular season with an 11-1 record. With a 38-6 win over California in Week 14, SMU clinched back-to-back 11-win seasons for the first time.
With a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line, here are our predictions and betting tips for the 2024 ACC Championship:
Clemson vs. SMU: Prediction
This matchup is a tough one to analyze. At times this season, Clemson has looked like the best team in the ACC by a wide margin, but inconsistency on both sides of the ball leaves questions regarding how the Tigers will fare on Saturday. To counter Clemson's inconsistency is the most consistent team in the conference: the SMU Mustangs.
SMU has the widest point differential of any team in the ACC, finishing the regular season with the fifth-best scoring offense (39.2 points per game) in the country, with a defensive unit that allowed the 19th-fewest points per game (19.8) among FBS teams.
Both teams will be fighting for a spot in the 12-team playoff. A loss in this game will likely eliminate the losing team from playoff contention, with the winner clinching a playoff spot. Ib this high-stakes matchup, expect SMU to defeat the Tigers and punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff for the first time.
Clemson vs. SMU Betting Tips
Tip 1: SMU Mustangs -2.5 (-115)
Tip 2: Brashard Smith Over 90 Rushing Yards (+120)
Tip 3: Antonio Williams Over 4.5 Receptions (+120)
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