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Football
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Cade Klubnik threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns, Nolan Hauser kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired and the No. 18 Clemson knocked off No. 8 SMU 34-31 Saturday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff and position itself for a first-round bye.
Hauser’s field goal was the longest in ACC championship game history.
Bryant Wesco had eight catches for 143 yards and two TDs in the first quarter for the Tigers (10-3, No. 17 CFP), who needed a win to get into the expanded 12-team playoffs. Jake Briningstool added two short TD receptions as Clemson improved to 9-1 in ACC championship games under coach Dabo Swinney.
“What a way to win,” Swinney said. “To head the playoffs for the seventh time, man, the heart of our guys. We have been so close but we found a way.”
Kevin Jennings threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns and ran a score for SMU (11-1, No. 8 CFP), which had gone 8-0 in the regular season in its first year since in the ACC after moving over from the American Athletic Conference.
The mistake-filled loss cost the Mustangs a shot at a first-round bye in the CFP.
Swinney pushed for the Mustangs to get in after battling back from 17 points down to tie the game.
“Listen. That’s a playoff football team. SMU, they better be in the dang playoffs,”…
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