7 wild SMU memes after Clemson clinches ACC championship thriller

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2024 ACC Football Championship - Clemson v SMU - Source: Getty
Clemson Tigers clinch ACC championship - Source: Getty

The Clemson Tigers are the ACC champions. Their 34-31 win against No. 8 SMU on Saturday night got the fans going — and they wasted no time flooding social media with hilarious memes. The wild twists and turns of the game were capped by Nolan Hauser’s 56-yard field goal, handing victory to the then-No. 18 Tigers.

Users on X (formerly Twitter) had plenty of material to work with after the ACC championship game. Let’s have a look at the seven best memes.

Hauser’s pre-kick wink at Clemson coach Dabo Swinney also became an instant classic.

Clemson’s hard work in the trenches, not allowing the SMU quarterback any room to maneuver passes out of the pocket, paid off big time. Swinney’s defensive line kept SMU scrambling all game long. Meanwhile, the Mustangs’ early struggles with penalties and turnovers were a major cause of their demise.

Now, Clemson (No. 12 CFP) will visit Texas (No. 5 CFP) on Dec. 21 in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Dabo Swinney puts message out for CFP committee

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is back in the playoffs, and he had a message for the College Football Playoff selection committee: SMU deserves a shot, too.

After leading his Clemson Tigers over SMU in the ACC championship game, Swinney said:

“Listen, that’s a playoff football team. SMU, they better be in the dang playoffs.”

Clemson’s path to the ACC title was far from smooth, especially after a shaky 9-3 regular season. The Tigers needed a miracle — namely, Syracuse’s upset of Miami — to even reach the championship game. Once there, they took full advantage, earning their 10th win and returning to the CFP for the first time since 2021.

“We're at a point now where we don't win a championship, and we've got to fire everybody and it's just — same ol' tired narratives that come up every single year when we lose a game,” Swinney said.
“Everybody counts us out, everybody talks down on Clemson like — 'Oh, they play in the ACC. We don't listen to none of that. We see it, and we save it for later and keep working. The more we win, they'll change the narrative.”

For SMU, the loss stings. The Mustangs were undefeated in ACC play during their debut season, making them one of the biggest surprises in college football.

SMU was ranked No. 11 in the final CFP rankings, with the committee sending the Mustangs to play at Penn State (No. 6 CFP) in the first round on Dec. 21.

Also read: Is Dabo Swinney to Dallas Cowboys a potential move? Closer look at latest coaching rumors around Clemson HC

Texas Longhorns Fan? Check out the latest Texas Longhorns depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

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Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein
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