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No. 8 SMU has put together a magical season, qualifying for the ACC championship game in its first year with the conference as just one of four FBS teams with an unblemished record in league play through the regular season.
Unfortunately, the Mustangs’ quest for an ACC title came to an unsatisfying end Saturday night in the ACC title game against No. 17 Clemson. SMU rallied from a 31-14 fourth quarter deficit to tie the Tigers with just seconds left on the clock, but a Clemson kickoff return and a 17-yard completion helped set up a 57-yard walk-off field goal that dashed SMU’s perfect conference record.
As heartbreaking as the defeat was, it shouldn’t be the end of the Mustangs’ run toward the College Football Playoff.
First off, the selection committee would be setting an extremely dangerous precedent if it excludes SMU.
It would provide incentive for teams to do everything they can to avoid a conference championship game in the future. Why risk a 13th data point, which almost 90% of the FBS doesn’t have to worry about, if it could cost you a shot at the national title?
The selection committee already laid the groundwork in 2023 when it excluded Florida State despite its 13-0 record and ACC crown. Conference championship games, an institution in this sport, can hardly take any more damage.
Beyond that, SMU is simply more deserving than any other at-large bubble team that could take its place. The Mustangs won 11 regular-season games. Eleven. They went undefeated in conference play and won those eight ACC games by an average of 19.4 points.
The fact that SMU even earned the right to play for a conference title should separate it from teams like Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina, all of which lost three conference games and…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/smus-case-for-college-football-playoff-why-mustangs-deserve-spot-in-bracket-despite-loss-in-acc-title-game/
Author : Will Backus
Publish date : 2024-12-08 05:29:00
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