The ACC Championship is on the line Saturday when the Clemson Tigers meet the SMU Mustangs for the right to call themselves 2024 ACC Champions. Read on as I break down Saturday’s contest and explain my college football predictions and college football picks for Clemson vs. SMU on Saturday, December 7.

Clemson vs. SMU predictions and best bets

• Clemson ML: +115 at BetMGM
• Cade Klubnik Over 1.5 TD passes: -114 at FanDuel
• Over 55.5: -110 at bet365

The Clemson Tigers are seeking their ninth consecutive ACC Championship Game victory, and I like their chances of winning this game. Clemson is coming off a silly home loss to South Carolina. The Tigers’ defense came through, but QB Cade Klubnik and the offense couldn’t get anything going.

I expect the Tigers’ offense to show up on Saturday. Klubnik and the Clemson offense owe its stout defense a better performance, and I expect that to begin with Klubnik’s big arm. The SMU Mustangs stop unit has surrendered 20 scoring strikes. I like this opportunity for Klubnik and expect him and his offense to succeed.

Klubnik failed to throw a TD pass last week for only the second time this season, but he threw 14 in the previous four and I like him to bounce back. SMU has been blasting teams. They’ve won by 20+ in three of their previous five and are averaging almost 20 more points than allowed.

They’ve rolled through the ACC season undefeated and became the first Group of Five group to join a Power 4/5 Conference to do so since 1978. Turnovers are a real issue for SMU. Turnovers haven’t hurt them yet, but they’ve committed 19 of them and meet a Clemson defense seeking its fifth consecutive multi-turnovers game.

That’s why I’m taking Clemson to win. They know how to win these types of games. The Tigers offense was embarrassed last week at home, but I expect Klubnik and Clemson to come out firing. The SMU offense is tough, and they will keep it close, but I like the Tigers to come out on top Saturday.

Clemson vs. SMU moneyline odds analysis

Why SMU could win as the favorite

Best odds: -130 at Fanatics Sportsbook

The SMU Mustangs can win this game because they travel well. They’ve won their previous ten road games and have forced at least one turnover in nine of its past 11 games.

SMU can score against anyone. They finished the regular season averaging nearly 40 points per game. The Mustangs finished seventh in the conference in rushing yards and passing yards per game, but still topped the ACC with an 8-0 record.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings is sixth nationally in passing yards per attempt and 12th with 14 yards per completion. Running back Brashard Smith is averaging 139 all-purpose yards with 17 touchdowns. As good as the Mustangs’ offense is, the stop unit is better. They led the ACC in points allowed per game (19) with the 16th-highest Red Zone success rate nationally (74%).

The SMU D-Unit gained 21 turnovers this season, and the total package is why SMU can have trailed for only 6:10 minutes of actual game time and why the Mustangs could win as the favorite.

Why Clemson could win as the underdog

Best odds: +115 at BetMGM Sportsbook

The Clemson Tigers’ history of success in big games is why Clemson could win as an underdog. The Tigers have won at least one postseason game for 13 consecutive years. They are 8-1 in ACC Championship games and come into this matchup boasting a high-flying offense with the second-best defense in the ACC.

Dual-threat signal-caller Cade Klubnik has slung 3,000+ passing yards with 29 scoring strikes. He’s also scampered for an additional 437 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Tigers running back Phil Mafah anchors a Clemson ground game seeking its seventh game this season with 200+ rushing yards. He’s rushed for 22 yards shy of 1100, and wideout Antonio Williams has 66 receptions for 788 yards and 10 TD receptions.

As good as the Tigers’ offense is, the Clemson defense is why they could win as the underdog. They’ve surrendered fewer than 20 points in each of its last four. Clemson has gained 23 turnovers with a Red Zone defense boasting a stingy 78% success rate.