Cade Klubnik is making his second ACC Championship Game appearance and seeks a second win.
SMU has to travel East to defeat Clemson for the first time in a Charlotte ACC Championship Game.
The line on the game reflects how difficult that may be.
FanDuel opened the line as SMU favored by just 1.5 points, despite a superior 11-1 overall record and 8-0 mark in conference play.
Clemson wrapped a 7-1 record in ACC play with back-to-back ACC road wins at Pitt and Virginia Tech, before a disappointing close to the regular season against rival South Carolina (a 17-14 defeat).
Clemson is 7-0 in ACC Championship Games held in Charlotte from 2011-22.
The winner is in line to guarantee a College Football Playoff appearance, and they could both make it with a Tigers’ win that sends the Mustangs to an at-large bid. SMU would clinch a Top 4 seed and a bye with a win, while the Tigers would still need to finish ahead of the Big 12 or Mountain West champion for a Top 4 seed with a win. As one of the five highest-ranked conference champions, Clemson could enter the field as low as a 12 seed for a first-round CFP trip if they do not secure a bye.
The game is set for an 8 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Bank of America Stadium. It will air on ABC.
