Top Offensive Players to Watch in Clemson Tigers Matchup Against SMU Mustangs

Here are the top offensive players to watch as the Clemson Tigers face SMU Mustangs

Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) passes against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers and SMU Mustangs are preparing for what should be a fun showdown for the ACC Title. 

Both teams took very different paths to get to the title game, but on Saturday night, they will be playing for the conference title and an automatic bid into the College Football Playoff. After the recent CFP Rankings were released, it’s likely that only the winner of the game will make it to the playoffs. 

This season, the Mustangs were able to have a perfect (8-0) record in the ACC, with a (11-1) record overall. With their only loss being a three-point game early in the season, it has been a magnificent year. 

For the Tigers, they need a lot of things to go right in order to get into this game. Due to not having the tiebreak over SMU or the Miami Hurricanes, Clemson needed two losses from the Hurricanes late in the season to secure their spot. 

Now, while each team took a different path to get here, this should be a fun one on the offensive side of things. Here are a few of the top offensive players to watch with the title on the line. 

Kevin Jennings

After a slow start to the season, the quarterback of the Mustangs has been playing excellent football of late. Jennings didn’t have his first 200-yard passing game until the fifth game of the season, but he has been great ever since. In seven of the last eight games, the sophomore quarterback has totaled at least 250 yards through the air. 

Brashard Smith

The Tigers’ defense is going to have their hands full with the talented running back from SMU in the ACC Title Game. Smith is having an excellent overall season, and with a couple of easy wins in the last two weeks, he is going to be rested coming into this matchup.

In his last five games, despite having a lighter workload than normal, the sophomore has scored in every game with nine touchdowns during that span. There have been times this season when Smith has nearly totaled 30 touches in a game, with a spot in the CFP on the line, expect to see him close to that number. 

Cade Klubnik  

The Clemson offense starts and ends with their junior quarterback. It has been an excellent season for Klubnik and the Tigers are going to need another big game from him both as a passer and a runner. The junior has really become a playmaker with his legs, and the offense is going to need all the production they can get to keep up with SMU.