SMU may enter Saturday’s ACC championship contest as a 2.5-point favorite over Clemson, but in many ways, the Mustangs are underdogs. They’re taking on a blue-blood program with more ACC championship game wins than any other team in the conference.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers are one win away from returning to the College Football Playoff as ACC champions for the first time since 2020. Standing in their way is an SMU Mustangs program in their first season in the conference.

No. 18 Clemson has another chance to make the College Football Playoff when it plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game against No. 8 SMU on Saturday.