The ACC championship game next weekend is set, and while we already knew No. 9 SMU would be playing for a title in its first season in the conference, Saturday’s games led to No. 12 Clemson officially being the Mustangs’ opponent.
And it’s all thanks to Syracuse — at least, according to the Orange’s head coach Fran Brown.
The No. 6 Miami Hurricanes would have advanced to the ACC championship game to take on SMU if they beat Syracuse on Saturday. But they didn’t. They lost, 42-38, for their second conference and overall loss this season, which put Clemson — which lost, 17-14, to No. 15 South Carolina on Saturday — in the conference title game instead.
To that, Brown says, you’re welcome, Clemson. And he hilariously pointed that out in his post-game interview after declaring: “Syracuse is back!”
"Syracuse is back" 🍊@FranBrownCuse pic.twitter.com/y1fGLuzKF1
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) December 1, 2024
“Hey, Dabo Swinney! Congrats! I got you in, baby!”
Swinney probably doesn’t see it entirely that way, but Brown is at least partially right that the Tigers wouldn’t be playing for a championship if Syracuse lost.
