Clemson wins the ACC Championship, automatic playoff spot on walkoff field goal, defeating SMU 34-31

Nolan Hauser’s 56-yard field goal as time expired lifted Clemson to a 34-31 victory over SMU in the ACC championship game.

With the win, Clemson changed the College Football Playoff standings by securing an automatic spot in the College Football Playoff as conference champion.

SMU tied the game at 31-31 with 16 seconds left in regulation when Kevin Jennings hit Roderick Daniels Jr. on an out route for a four-yard touchdown. The play was reviewed, but Daniels pulled his right foot well offside to catch the ball.

On the ensuing kickoff, a 41-yard return by Austin Randall gave Clemson a one-play opportunity to get into field goal range. Cade Klubnik’s 17-yard pass to Antonio Williams accomplished that goal.

Klubnik threw for four touchdowns and 260 yards and completed 24 of 41 passes. Bryant Wesco Jr. grabbed eight receptions for 142 yards and two scores. Jake Briningstool also caught two touchdowns for Clemson.

Is SMU still a playoff team?

The Tigers’ win raised some questions before Sunday’s selection.

Did Clemson earn a first-round bye with its win? At 10-3 that seems unlikely. There was speculation that SMU would get a bye by winning the ACC, but the Mustangs would have had a record of 12-1. The committee probably didn’t just save a bye for the ACC champion.

And what about SMU? Did the loss knock them out of the playoffs despite a 10-2 record? Clemson’s win and Arizona State’s victory in the Big 12 Championship Game occupies two spots that many speculated would go to 9-3 Alabama or 10-2 Miami.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney made the case for SMU in his postgame interview with ESPN’s Molly McGrath.

“This is a playoff football team,” Swinney said, gesturing across the field. “SMU, they better be in the damn playoffs.”

Clemson took a big lead early

The Tigers took a 14-0 lead on SMU errors. A Kevin Jennings fumble on a sack gave Clemson the ball at the Mustangs’ 33-yard line. Two plays later, Klubnik hit Wesco for a 35-yard touchdown and the game’s opening score.

SMU went three-and-out on their next possession, but was forced to incur a 15-yard foul penalty when Davaughn Celestine’s helmet came off on a punt and he kept playing.

Between the penalty and Antonio Williams’ 21-yard return, the punt was virtually wiped out and Clemson took over at the SMU 28-yard line. Four plays later, Klubnik hit Briningstool for a five-yard TD.

SMU entered the game on its third possession and capped a 75-yard drive with a 24-yard scoring run by Jennings. However, Clemson answered right back with a 43-yard TD pass from Klubnik to Wesco.

The Mustangs scored on their first series of the second half when Jennings completed four passes for 65 yards, including a 10-yard toss to Brashard Smith. That cut Clemson’s lead to 24-14. However, the Tigers completed two long drives that took nearly ten minutes, with the second drive ending in a touchdown on a five-yard reception by Briningstool.

SMU came right back and cut the lead to 10 again, capping a seven-play drive with a 20-yard TD catch from Matthew Hibner. After the defense forced Clemson into three-and-outs on consecutive possessions, the Mustangs got within one score on a 46-yard field goal from Collin Rogers.

Jennings passed for 310 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, completing 32 of 51 passes. Daniels had eight receptions for 97 yards and a score, along with Hibner’s five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Brashard Smith led SMU in rushing with 113 yards and 24 carries.