Well, it seems we may have a bit of drama on Selection Sunday after all. After being down 24-7 at halftime, SMU made a furious second half comeback that culminated with Kevin Jennings throwing the game-tying touchdown to Roderick Daniels with just 16 seconds left in the game.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, those 16 seconds mattered quite a bit. Clemson returned the ensuing kickoff to the 41-yard line, Cade Klubnik completed one pass and then freshman kicker Nolan Hauser nailed a 56-yard field goal to give Clemson another ACC title and send the Tigers to the College Football Playoff.
Now the question becomes what happens between 11-2 SMU and 9-3 Alabama. It seemed for the entire first half of the ACC Championship Game that Bama would be in with no issues. But how could you now leave out SMU after the Mustangs came all the way back to tie that game?
I’ve been of the belief since Tuesday night that the committee was going to do everything in its power to make sure Alabama found its way into the Playoff. And while I still think that might be the case, it seems like their hands may be tied. If the committee drops SMU from No. 8 to out of the field following a three-point loss at the buzzer in a conference championship, 1) there would be a public mutiny and 2) it would set a horribly dangerous precedent for teams making their championship games. If that result keeps the Mustangs out, there will be teams next year asking if they can opt out of participating in the conference title games.
But one would be quite naive to not acknowledge the reality that we’re talking about college football decision makers debating Alabama and Southern Methodist. You can dislike the fact that brand names are part of the decision-making process, but they absolutely are and I won’t feel good about SMU being in until I see the Mustangs on the field in two weeks.
In a rational and just world, SMU would be the 12-seed and Alabama would be playing in the Citrus Bowl because it lost three games in the regular season, two of which came to teams that finished the year 6-6. But this isn’t a rational world, it’s college football.
I guess we’ll find out in 12 hours.
