Miami Hurricanes Upset Paves Way for Clemson Tigers in ACC Championship

The Clemson Tigers have made the ACC Championship Game after a Miami Hurricanes loss.

Nov 30, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks at a press conference after the game at Memorial Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers caught a massive break, as they have punched their ticket to the ACC Title Game, thanks to a Miami Hurricanes loss. 

Rivalry week didn’t start out well for the Tigers, but it sure did end well. Clemson will be playing in the ACC Championship Game against the SMU Mustangs, as the Hurricanes lost as big favorites against the Syracuse Orange. 

To start Saturday, the Tigers suffered a tough loss in the Palmetto Bowl against the South Carolina Gamecocks. A win against South Carolina likely would have sent Clemson to the College Football Playoff, as it would have been a ranked win against a Top-15 team. Those types of quality wins at this point in the season don’t go unnoticed, and it should have been the resume builder needed for an at-large win. 

However, the Tigers squandered a golden opportunity to secure their spot, as they gave up 10 unanswered points in the 4th quarter. Stopping the run was once again a major issue for Clemson, as LaNorris Sanders ran all over them, including the game-winning touchdown run. Quarterback Cade Klubnik played a good game for the Tigers, both throwing and running the ball, but it wasn’t enough. 

Despite the loss, the Tigers will now be shifting focus to beating the Mustangs next weekend for an ACC Championship. 

There are a lot of benefits to winning the conference, as Clemson could potentially get a bye in the CFP, and they will have the automatic bid. If the Tigers are the representative for the conference in the CFP, they will likely be the only team from the ACC, as the Hurricanes and Mustangs will have a hard time getting an at-large bid. 

While keeping hope alive of winning the ACC and being in the expanded CFP is great, this is a Clemson team that has some issues. However, they will control their destiny for making the playoffs.