SMU is headed to the ACC Championship Game in its first season in the league. The No. 13 Mustangs earned that spot with Saturday’s 33-7 win at Virginia.

SMU jumped out to a 17-0 lead at halftime and cruised to its fifth road win of the season. The Mustangs dominated in every facet, defeating the Cavaliers 434-173.

SMU improved to 10-1 overall and has won eight straight since a non-conference loss at home to BYU in early September. The ACC record of 7-0 is the best by a team that has gone from a mid-major league to a power conference since at least 1978, according to SMU.

The Mustangs will face either Miami or Clemson in the national title game on December 7 in Charlotte, NC. Miami, which defeated Wake Forest on Saturday, can secure a spot next Saturday with a win at Syracuse. Clemson heads to the title game next week with a loss at Miami.

It is the second straight season SMU has played for a conference championship. The Mustangs defeated Tulane to win the American Athletic Conference crown last year. The stakes are higher this year, as the ACC champion is likely assured a spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

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(Photo by Kevin Jennings: Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)