Dan Mullen predicts Clemson over Miami in ACC title game, clock to 'strike midnight' on Hurricanes

In the sprint to the College Football Playoff this year, the ACC has been one of the more intriguing leagues. Four teams enter Week 9 undefeated in league play – including SMU and Duke, who play each other Saturday – but Dan Mullen predicted the other two unbeatens to make the conference championship.

At halftime of Friday’s Louisville vs. Boston College game, Mullen said Clemson would defeat Miami in the conference title game. Although the Tigers got off to a rough start to the year in Week 1 against Georgia, they’ve bounced back well, and it’s enough for the former Florida coach to put them in the mix for ACC champion.

As for Miami, the Hurricanes have had a run of close games, and Mullen said that would likely come to an end. He called it a “Cinderella” type run, and the clock is nearing midnight.

“That field’s deep, right? … I’m going Clemson,” Mullen said. “Clemson, after Week 1 of the season, we watched them go in, we’re expecting a big game against Georgia. They have a good first half, get absolutely decimated in the second half of that game. Scratch your head, maybe they have it going on. Since that day, Cade Klubnik, the offense, explosive. They’re putting up points, they’re putting up yards, their defense has come to play. They have dominated everyone they have played since that early loss.

“And I think Clemson rolls through the season to get to that title game against Miami, and Clemson gets the win. Miami, the Cinderella story, finally, it’s gonna strike midnight and all these close wins are gonna come to an end.”

Since that loss to Georgia, Clemson has won six straight games and scored at least 28 points in each of those contests. Klubnik has also been impressive this year, taking the leap many hoped he would in Garrett Riley’s scheme.

With 20 touchdowns on the year, Klubnik has already surpassed last seasons total while totaling 1,836 passing yards. Clemson’s offense as a whole has also been rolling, averaging 490.4 yards as a unit. That’s second in the ACC only to Miami, which is putting up 577.3 yards per game.

The Hurricanes – ranked No. 6 in the latest AP Top 25 – will face an in-state rival in Florida State this week. It could be an opportunity for Miami to get back on track and end the streak of three straight one-score games, including two decided in the final minutes.