Can the Mustangs win the ACC title against Clemson in the league’s first season?

SMU’s improbable run in its first ACC season culminates in a clash with the conference’s most famous program Saturday night in Charlotte.

The Mustangs are one win away from winning their 13th conference championship in program history and first place in the ACC after making the jump out of a Group of Five conference just a few months ago.

But to secure the crown, SMU must defeat Clemson, which has won a record eight ACC championship games since the game was introduced in 2005.

Here’s what you should know about this week’s matchup.

SMU vs. Clemson

When: 7 p.m. CT Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC

records: SMU (11-1, 8-0); Clemson (9-3, 7-1)

Last meeting: Clemson and SMU have never played before.

What is at stake?

Already the most successful team in history to make the jump from a Group of Five conference to a power conference, SMU can now add a championship to its resume.

A win Saturday would mark the third time in program history that SMU has won consecutive conference championships, as the ACC title game appearance comes just a year after its AAC championship victory.

Beyond the conference title, SMU still has College Football Playoff hopes on the line. Those in the program feel like they’ve done enough to earn a spot in the 12-team field regardless of their result on Saturday, but a win over Clemson guarantees that and a first-round bye.

When SMU has the ball

Clemson’s defense has been its calling card for years and is loaded with top recruits that SMU needs to prepare for.

It’s one of the reasons the Tigers rank fifth nationally in turnover margin with a plus-14 advantage this season.

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings had some turnover issues in his last championship game appearance, which was his first career start. Although he has improved tremendously since then, he will have to be extra careful during football on Saturday.

SMU also has an advantage in the running game. Clemson ranks 14th in the ACC with 150.3 per game. They have also given up 13 touchdowns on the ground and averaged 4.6 yards per carry in their 12 games. SMU can benefit from running back Brashard Smith, who ranks eighth nationally in all-purpose yards, including over 1,100 on the ground.

When Clemson has the ball

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is having the best season of his career, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns with just five interceptions.

The Austin Westlake graduate won a state title the same year as Jennings and was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school.

He also has a talented receiver corps to fall back on, including Antonio Williams, who has 66 catches for 788 yards and 10 touchdowns, and true freshman Bryant Wesco Jr. of Midlothian, who has 30 catches for 535 yards this year and has three touchdowns.

SMU’s secondary will be more challenged than it has been in recent weeks and will require veterans like Isaiah Nwokobia and Jonathan McGill to deliver standout games.

forecast

SMU will be challenged against a top-25 opponent that is strong on both sides of the ball.

The secondary will struggle to contain Clemson’s passing game at times, and the offense won’t be as consistently effective as it is against most ACC opponents.

However, Brashard Smith will be the difference for SMU in another triple-digit, multi-touchdown game, leading the Mustangs to their first ACC title.

Score: SMU 24, Clemson 20

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