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Freshman Kicker's 56-Yard FG Sends Clemson to CFP; SMU Loss Puts Alabama's Playoff Hopes in Doubt

Dec 8, 2024, 04:50 AM

Clemson secured a spot in the College Football Playoff by defeating SMU 34-31 in the ACC Championship game. Freshman kicker Nolan Hauser won the game with a 56-yard field goal as time expired. Hauser is a Clemson legacy; his mother was an All-American soccer player at Clemson, and his father pitched on Clemson’s 1996 College World Series team. SMU mounted a significant comeback after trailing 31-14 at the start of the third quarter, tying the game at 31-31 with 16 seconds remaining. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the loss, many believe SMU deserves a spot in the College Football Playoff due to their strong performance and close margin of defeat. SMU's only other loss was a three-point defeat to BYU. The result has implications for Alabama's chances of making the playoff, with speculation that Clemson's win may have knocked Alabama out of contention. Alabama has two losses to 6-6 teams, while SMU's losses are to Clemson and BYU. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who now has nine ACC titles, endorsed SMU's inclusion in the playoff in his postgame remarks.