No. 18 Clemson needs to slow down SMU QB Kevin Jennings to win 9th ACC title game, secure CFP spot

No. 18 Clemson (9-3, 7-1 ACC, No. 17 CFP) vs. No. 8 Southern Methodist (11-1, 8-0, No. 11) at Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, 8 p.m. EST (ABC)

BetMGM College Football Odds: SMU by 2 1/2.

Series record: First meeting.

What’s at stake?

SMU faces a simple scenario: win and complete a perfect first run through its new league home, along with likely first-round bye in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Clemson needs to win to make the CFP, which would then raise at least the question of whether a losing SMU team would make the ACC a two-bid league.

Key matchup

SMU QB Kevin Jennings vs. Clemson secondary: Jennings made his first start as SMU’s quarterback in last year’s American Athletic Conference championship game after Preston Stone broke his left leg in the regular-season finale. Jennings has thrown for 2,746 yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing two-thirds of his passes (196 of 294). He’s also the team’s second-leading rusher with 344 yards and four TDs. Clemson’s defense loves to play man-to-man, but Jennings has been very good beating that all season.

Players to watch

Clemson: QB Cade Klubnik has had breakout season with a career-high 29 touchdown passes. He’s also excelled with his running ability with six rushing TDs, including a 50-yard scoring run with 1:16 left at Pitt for a 24-20 win three games ago that ultimately got Clemson into the ACC title game.

SMU: RB Brashard Smith has run for 1,157 yards and 14 touchdowns this season and should present a formidable challenge for the Tigers. He also has 29 catches for 269 yards and three scores, so he is a threat coming out of the backfield.

Facts & figures

Clemson is playing in its ACC-record 10th league title game. … Tigers are 8-1 in the previous nine, the lone loss under Dabo Swinney coming to Georgia Tech in 2009. … Clemson reached the ACC title game after Miami was upset by Syracuse last week. … Klubnik was MVP of Clemson’s 39-10 victory over North Carolina in the Tigers’ last title game appearance in 2022. … Clemson is seeking its 31st victory over an AP Top 10 opponent in No. 8 SMU. … Clemson has had six games where it has rushed for 200 yards and thrown for 200 yards. … SMU has won nine games in a row, all since Jennings took over as the starting quarterback. … The Mustangs have averaged 40.8 points a game during that stretch, all since an 18-15 home loss to 10-win BYU from the Big 12 on Sept. 6 in their third game.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football