Dabo Swinney was in the midst of celebrating Clemson’s last-second victory over SMU in the ACC championship game Saturday night in Charlotte, but took a moment to stump for his opponent.

After the Tigers edged the Mustangs 34-31 on Nolan Hauser’s 56-yard field goal as time expired, Swinney told ABC sideline reporter Molly McGrath that both Clemson and SMU should be in the College Football Playoff. The Mustangs are believed to be competing with Alabama for the final at-large spot in the 12-team playoff field.

“What a game,” Swinney said. “Listen, that’s a playoff football team. SMU, they better be in the dang playoff. What a comeback by those guys.”

As Swinney noted, SMU rallied from down 31-14 heading into the fourth quarter to tie with 17 straight points. The Mustangs mounted a 16-play, 79-yard drive for the tying score with 16 seconds remaining, Kevin Jennings’ 4-yard touchdown pass to RJ Daniels.

Clemson’s Adam Randall returned the ensuing kickoff to the 45-yard line, then quarterback Cade Klubnik found Antonio Williams for 17 yards to the SMU 38 with two seconds remaining. After a timeout, Hauser — a freshman from Charlotte — came on and drilled a career-long field goal with room to spare to give the Tigers their ninth ACC championship since 2011 and their seventh College Football Playoff berth in 11 years.

“Hey, it’s a new season,” Swinney said. “And we’re 1-0 in the postseason. And now we’ve got a chance.

“And I think Lloyd Christmas (from the classic comedy film ‘Dumb and Dumber’) said it best: ‘So you’re saying there’s a chance.’ So let’s go.”