No. 12 Southern Methodist will face No. 5 Penn State in the opening round of the College Football Playoff after edging Alabama in the final rankings. The Mustangs lost 34-31 to No. 13 Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game on Saturday night, but earned the No. 12 seed as the CFP’s last at-large selection over the Crimson Tide.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings runs past Clemson defensive end Cade Denhoff in the first half of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula runs up field during the second half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Oregon, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Indianapolis.
The winner will face No. 8 Boise State and electric running back Ashton Jeanty at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium on Dec. 31. The Mountain West champion Broncos were awarded the No. 3 seed in the CFP over Big 12 champion Arizona State. Boise State has a strong history at the Fiesta Bowl, starting with its wild win over Oklahoma in 2007. The Broncos lost to Oregon by three early in the season, then closed the season with 11 straight wins.
SMU has made a long climb back to relevance since receiving the death penalty from the NCAA in 1987. Coach Rhett Lashlee has ushered the Mustangs into a new era, leading them to three straight bowl games and consecutive 11-win seasons — the latest good enough for a CFP berth.Alabama left out of playoff as committee rewards SMU’s wins over Crimson Tide’s strong scheduleThe Nittany Lions overcame their own scandal to reach the CFP for the first time.
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