26 Final 23 38 Final 61 13 Final 20 30 Final 24 34 Final 6 31 Final 34 34 Final 41 16 Final 35 19 Final 16 38 Final 35 14 Final 28 28 Final 31 38 Final 45 14 Final 42 24 Final 20 13 Final 6 20 Final 59 49 Final 51 23 Final 52 24 Final 37 38 Final 17 24 Final 25 28 Final 27 20 Final 35 10 Final 21 24 Final 27 56 Final 21 31 Final 39 24 Final 31 20 Final 31 49 Final 39 10 Final 13 23 Final 15 10 Final 28 17 Final 34 49 Final 27 17 Final 28 20 Final 24 21 Final 14 13 Final 28 31 Final 35 0 Final 26 31 Final 10 49 Final 56 20 Final 16 24 Final 57 32 Final 38 @ 17 Final 20 7 Final 24 @ 17 Final 34 @ @ @ @
Week 8 •
Memorial Stadium (Clemson, SC)

SMU35 @FINAL 24Clemson

4-2 ACC Power rating: 11.8
3-3 ACC Power rating: 9.0

By · Last updated

How did the line hold up?

Market line
CLEM -3.5
PM Implied
CLEM -3.2
Blue Chip model
SMU -0.5
Edge
-4.0SMU
See details
◂ favors SMUfavors CLEM ▸Market: CLEM -3.5
SMU
The power ratings row was edited directly, please click reset to adjust by team
CLEM
no impact
no impact
no impact
no impact
2 SMU2 CLEM4 SMU4 CLEMModel: SMU -0.5

Betting information

Spread
CLEM -3.5
Total
49.5
Odds implied score
SMU 23.0 – 26.5 CLEM
Prediction markets
CLEM 62% win chance (Kalshi)

DraftKings · as of July 8, 2026

SMU defeated Clemson 35–24 in a double-digit victory. SMU covered by 14.5; Game went Over by 9.5. The market closed at Clemson -3.5 and the Blue Chip model made it SMU -0.5 - a gap of 4.0 points toward SMU, of which 3.3 points were beyond the model's measured factors. That was an information gap - the market pricing something the model does not carry - rather than a measured edge.

What are the key factors for SMU vs Clemson?

SMU

Avenged ACC Title Loss

SMU defeated Clemson 35-24, avenging last year's ACC championship game loss. This win boosts team confidence and keeps them in contention for another ACC title game appearance.

Strong Passing Attack

Kevin Jennings threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns, with Jordan Hudson catching 7 passes for 131 yards and a TD. The passing game was effective and reliable, especially on key third downs.

Dominant Ground Game

SMU outgained Clemson 139-35 on the ground, with Chris Johnson Jr. sealing the win with a late 6-yard touchdown run. The rushing attack controlled the clock and wore down the Clemson defense.

Clutch Performances in Key Moments

SMU converted crucial fourth downs and third downs, including a pass interference penalty on 4th-and-3 and a 26-yard strike to Hudson on 3rd-and-10. These plays extended drives and led to the game-sealing touchdown.

Next Game at Wake Forest

SMU travels to face Wake Forest next Saturday. With momentum from three straight wins and a strong offensive performance, they will look to continue their success on the road.

Clemson

Quarterback injury and backup performance

Starting QB Cade Klubnik sat out with an ankle injury; backup Christopher Vizzina made his first start, completing 29 of 42 passes for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns, including two to T.J. Moore. Vizzina showed improvement as the game progressed, but the team missed Klubnik's experience.

Rushing struggles and offensive imbalance

Clemson managed only 35 rushing yards on 30 carries, with Adam Randall leading at 29 yards. The lack of a ground game made the offense one-dimensional and contributed to the loss.

Defensive lapses in critical moments

Despite forcing an interception and cutting the lead to 29-24, the defense allowed SMU to convert a fourth-and-3 with a pass interference penalty and later gave up a 26-yard pass on third-and-10, leading to the game-sealing touchdown.

Injury concerns for key players

Wide receiver Bryant Wesco was hospitalized with a serious head/neck injury, and starting left guard Collin Sadler was carted off with a leg injury (not broken). These absences could impact depth for the next game.

Bye week and upcoming opponent

Clemson has a bye week before hosting Duke on Nov. 1. Coach Swinney hopes to have Klubnik back for that game, which will be crucial for the team's offensive stability and morale after a fifth straight loss to Power Conference teams.

What were the weather conditions for SMU vs Clemson?

At kickoff, conditions at Memorial Stadium (Clemson, SC) were Partly cloudy, 69°F with winds of 5 mph. Weather is not expected to be a meaningful factor in this game. Historical weather data for this game is preserved in the panel alongside. Weather data is sourced from WeatherAPI.com.

What happened in the game?

SMU travels 812 miles to this game, a significant road trip.

SMU arrives with a 1-hour eastward body clock shift, short of the two-zone westward threshold where travel starts to price.

SMU won by 11 in a double-digit victory.

SMU covered the spread comfortably.

The total went Over by 9.5 points.

How do SMU and Clemson compare on power ratings?

Blue Chip Analytics power ratings favor SMU (11.8) over Clemson (9.0) by 2.8 points on a neutral field. Despite playing at home, Clemson faces a power rating deficit. Check whether the market spread accounts for this gap. Clemson brings a meaningful home field advantage to this matchup (Blue Chip HFA: 2.3). Add this to the neutral-site differential to arrive at a venue-adjusted line.

Blue Chip Analytics power ratings represent expected point margin against an average FBS opponent on a neutral field, calculated from game data sourced via CollegeFootballData.com (CFBD). They are one input: cross-reference with the travel, rest, and weather data above before drawing conclusions.

Where can I find more data on SMU and Clemson?

Sources

Game & Team Data

Weather

Travel & Rest

Model & Methodology

SMU won and SMU covered the spread.

Conditions

as of October 18, 2025 Game-time

Partly cloudy

69°F

Rain0%
Precip0.00"
Humidity67%
Wind5 mph S
Gusts11 mph
Wind map for SMU at Clemson: aerial view of Memorial Stadium (Clemson, SC), wind from the S at 5.4 mph, gusting to 11.2 mph

Quick facts

Week
Week 8
Kickoff (local)
03:30 PM EDT
Venue
Memorial Stadium (Clemson, SC)
Capacity
81,500
Elevation
709 ft
Surface
Grass

Travel and rest

SMUAway ClemsonHome
This week812 miles0 miles
Last weekHome game1,646 miles
Season total1,603 miles2,324 miles
Body clock14:3015:30
Rest7 days7 days

Other games this week