Part of the problem over the years in the ACC is depth, rarely does anyone step in to fill the gap when Clemson or FSU struggles. Miami we looked in your direction all year with a 9-0 start, only for Miami to do what they always do and that is fade late in the year. They did it again losing 2 of their last 3, to finish 10-2 and probably out of the playoffs. Pitt started 7-0, but collapsed even worse than Miami losing their last 5 games. 8-4 Louisville had moments, but how do you lose at Stanford?
On and on nobody was filling that playoff gap.
Somebody had to do it. FSU is so far gone at 2-10 this season, even with the portal the program has a major rebuild on its hands.
Clemson couldn’t beat anyone that approached a top-25 team.
In steps the SMU Mustangs. The hero the ACC didn’t know they needed.
SMU last lost on September 6 in an 18-15 game to top 20 BYU while the Mustangs were still sorting out their QB situation. They’ve won 9 games in a row since, including a 24-point win over 8-4 rival TCU. They won at Louisville when they were ranked. They won at 9-3 Duke. They broke Pitt when they were 7-0 in a 48-25 victory.
They won their last 3 games by double digits. Rhett Lashlee will easily be your ACC COY. It’s like SMU almost didn’t know any better. Ranked ACC teams end up losing, they get upset, they fade.
Not SMU. They won and they got better. They were on a mission and didn’t let up. They’ll face 9-3 Clemson in the ACC Title game with an 11-1 (8-0) record and ranked 7 or 8. This team belongs in the playoff win or lose in the title game. You don’t penalize teams for making their conference championship. You don’t penalize Georgia if they lose their 3rd game. You don’t penalize SMU if they lose their 2nd game.
The only reason the ACC is still in play for multiple playoff teams is because of SMU.
