The SMU Mustangs and Clemson Tigers collide Saturday night in the ACC Championship, a game heavy with College Football Playoff stakes as the winner punches their ticket to the CFP, and the loser will most likely miss the 12-team playoff.
For SMU, this season has been nothing short of historic. In their inaugural ACC campaign, the Mustangs are undefeated in conference play, now standing on the brink of their greatest triumph. For Clemson, the weight of legacy looms large. Winners of seven of the last nine ACC titles, the Tigers aim to reassert their dominance on the conference stage.
ACC Championship Game Odds: Main Markets
- Spread
SMU -2.5 - Moneyline
Clemson +120, SMU -135 - Over/Under
56
SMU meets Clemson for the first time as ACC foes in the 2024 ACC Championship Game, and they’ll be the favorites in the ACC title game in their first year as a member of the conference. SMU opened as a 1.5-point dog, but the market has spoken and initially backed the Mustangs. That has moved the line to where the Mustangs are almost a full field-goal favorite before kickoff.
The total has seen a lot of action and has hit every number between 54.5 and 57, but it has now settled down to 55.5. This is likely to see some more movement before kickoff on Saturday night.
ACC Championship Game Odds: Anytime Touchdown Scorer
- Brashard Smith (SMU): +210
- Phil Mafah (Clemson): +260
- Antonio Williams (Clemson): +480
- Roderick Daniels Jr. (SMU): +600
- Cade Klubnik (Clemson): +600
- Key’Shawn Smith (SMU): +700
- Jordan Hudson (SMU): +750
SMU running back Brashard Smith enters the ACC Championship Game with the highest odds to score a touchdown in Charlotte, N.C., and rightfully so. The senior from Florida has scored in five straight games, tallying nine total touchdowns in that span. If SMU is going to put points up, it seems unlikely it won’t involve Smith.
Clemson running back Phil Mafah comes in with the highest odds for the Tigers. Mafah has scored eight times in 2024 but has failed to reach paydirt in his last four contests. Before his scoreless stretch, he scored two rushing touchdowns in three straight games, so Mafah is due to reach the end zone.
ACC Championship Game Odds: Quarterback Props
- Kevin Jennings Passing Yards: 246.5
- Cade Klubnik Passing Yards: 261.5
- Kevin Jennings Passing Touchdowns: 1.5
- Cade Klubnik Passing Touchdowns: 1.5
Kevin Jennings has been excellent in 2024, but some may argue that the Mustangs haven’t seen a defense as stingy as the Tigers’ in 2024. Regardless, Jennings has gone over this touchdown total in each of his last four games and in five of his previous six. He’s also exceeded this passing yard total in seven of his last eight.
Cade Klubnik has had an equally impressive 2024, throwing for 3,041 yards and 29 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Klubnik was on a three-game stretch where he totaled eight passing touchdowns before being held without a passing touchdown in Clemson’s loss to South Carolina. Klubnik has thrown for multiple passing scores in nine of his 12 games in 2024.
ACC Championship Game Odds: Receiving Props
- Antonio Williams (Clemson): 65.5 (-115)
- Jake Briningstool (Clemson): 34.5 (-115)
- Jordan Hudson (SMU): 26.5 (-120)
- Key’Shawn Smith (SMU): 46.5 (-110)
- Matthew Hibner (SMU): 30.5 (-115)
- T.J. Moore (Clemson): 43.5 (-110)
- Roderick Daniels Jr. (SMU) 38.5 (-115)
Antonio Williams enters the 2024 ACC Championship Game as Clemson’s leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He’s surpassed this receiving total in each of his last three contests and six of 12 games in 2024.
Roderick Daniels Jr. and Key’Shawn Smith pace the Mustangs receiving corp. They’ve each caught 30 passes and have 502 and 499 yards receiving, respectively, to go along with seven combined touchdowns. Daniels has surpassed his receiving yards total in each of his last three games, and Smith has surpassed his in three of his previous four.
ACC Championship Game Odds: Rushing Props
- Brashard Smith (SMU): 90.5 (+105)
- Phil Mafah (Clemson): 80.5 (-105)
Smith had a stretch of three games reaching 120+ rushing yards before being held to under 70 in each of SMU’s final two contests. One sure thing is that the Mustangs are going to get Smith involved in the offense. He’s had 16+ carries in five straight games and reached 23 carries in two of those contests.
Mafah started 2024 with a tough going against Georgia and then exploded with six 100+ yard rushing games in his next eight contests. However, he has cooled off down the stretch. He was held to just 17 yards on 17 carries in a 24-20 win over Pitt and was held to 66 yards on 20 carries in Clemson’s loss to South Carolina.
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