The ACC Championship Game scenarios have come down to three teams: SMU is in. Will they have Miami or Clemson in Charlotte for the ACC title game?
The SMU Mustangs have punched their ticket to the ACC Championship Game, but the identity of their opponent remains unclear. Miami kept its hopes alive with a Week 13 win over Wake Forest but still needs one more victory to secure its spot. Meanwhile, Clemson waits in the wings, their conference slate complete, as they prepare for a rivalry clash with South Carolina. Saturday will determine who joins SMU in Charlotte, setting the stage for the conference’s ultimate showdown.
Check out our SEC Championship game scenarios!
Week 14 ACC Standings
- SMU Mustangs 10-1 (7-0)
- Clemson Tigers 9-2 (7-1)
- Miami Hurricanes 10-1 (6-1)
- Louisville Cardinals 7-4 (5-3)
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 7-4 (5-3)
- Duke Blue Devils 8-3 (4-3)
- Syracuse Orange 8-3 (4-3)
- Virginia Cavaliers 5-6 (3-4)
- Virginia Tech Hokies 5-6 (3-4)
- Pittsburgh Panthers 7-4 (3-4)
- Boston College Eagles 6-5 (3-4)
- North Carolina Tar Heels 6-5 (3-4)
- California Golden Bears 6-5 (2-5)
- NC State Wolfpack 5-6 (2-5)
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons 4-7 (2-5)
- Stanford Cardinal 3-8 (2-6)
- Florida State Seminoles 2-9 (1-7)
ACC Championship Game scenarios for Miami and Clemson in Week 14
- SMU Mustangs: Clinched ACC Championship Birth
- Miami Hurricanes: Win over Syracuse and in
- Clemson Tigers: Miami loss to Syracuse and in
The Clemson Tigers, 9-2, have navigated a season of high expectations and one tough stumble. Their 7-1 finish in ACC play, marred only by a loss to Louisville—a team Miami defeated—leaves them waiting, watching, and hoping. This weekend, they step into the Palmetto Bowl against in-state rival South Carolina, knowing their ACC Championship fate lies not in their hands but in the result of a game 800 miles away.
For Miami, the path is straightforward but fraught with pressure: beat Syracuse, and their ticket to Charlotte is punched. A second ACC loss would unravel everything—a 6-2 conference mark, playoff hopes dashed, and Clemson stepping in to claim what could’ve been theirs. For the Hurricanes, protecting a season of promise is a must-win.
SMU CLINCHES A SPOT IN ITS FIRST-EVER ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 🐎 @SMUFB pic.twitter.com/UNTY0MnRvf
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 23, 2024
SMU, meanwhile, has already written its story. Undefeated in the ACC at 7-0, the Mustangs have secured their spot in the title game and can claim home-field advantage with a win over Cal. They’ve done their part. The spotlight now shifts to Miami.
A loss by Miami to Syracuse would reverberate across the college football landscape. Clemson would seize its chance for redemption, while Miami would see its playoff hopes evaporate, a season reduced to what might have been. The stage is set, and destiny awaits.
