Will three ACC teams make the College Football Playoff? | Sporting News

With the release of the fourth edition of this year’s College Football Playoff rankings, the ACC made a strong showing, placing three teams in the Top 25—all within the Top 12.

Miami leads the way at No. 6, followed by SMU at No. 9 and Clemson at No. 12.

“I think [Miami is] still a very, very good football team,” analyst Greg McElroy said. “They’re one of those teams where, if they ever put 60 minutes together—look out. That team is extremely dangerous.”

“Still a very, very good football team… that team is extremely dangerous.”@GregMcElroy‘s confidence on @CanesFootball is still high heading into the final week of the regular season 🙌#GoCanes pic.twitter.com/9a8b8lPVC1

— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) November 27, 2024

Last weekend’s chaos across college football gave the Hurricanes a boost from their previous No. 8 ranking. Meanwhile, SMU and Clemson saw significant jumps that could have major implications on the playoff, with potentially all three ACC teams making the playoff.

The Mustangs, now 10-1, have already secured their spot in the ACC Championship Game, and their ranking at No. 9 ensures a position among the 12 playoff seeds (for now). If the season ended today, SMU would face No. 10 Notre Dame on the road in the first round. This recognition marks a breakthrough for the Mustangs after weeks of being overlooked.

Clemson’s No. 12 ranking places them as the first team out of the current playoff field but keeps them very much in contention. The Tigers are set to face in-state rival South Carolina, which jumped from No. 18 to No. 15 in this week’s rankings. The winner of Saturday’s matchup could potentially claim a playoff berth. Clemson’s chances improve even further if Miami loses to Syracuse, which would open the door for the Tigers to make the ACC title. A win there gives them an automatic selection.

3️⃣ ACC Teams representing the #CFBPlayoff Top 25 🚨 pic.twitter.com/i7NCWrsl7g

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 27, 2024

With one more set of rankings left before the Dec. 8 selection day, the ACC’s presence in the Top 12 highlights the conference’s growing strength during a pivotal season. As the final games unfold, all three programs will look to secure their positions in what could be a landmark year for the ACC in the expanded playoff era.