Whoever wins the ACC Championship Game between Notre Dame and Clemson is guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Irish can get there by dominating the ground and succeeding at third down on both sides of the ball and as they have all season. It also would help if they can stay on offense for a while as they’re able. No matter how this game plays out, both the offense and defense have been fantastic, and neither unit has been penalized very much, so both the talent and the smarts are worthy of a conference title and the chance to play for the country’s top prize.
However, the Tigers have been even better on both offense and defense. They can match up to almost every strength the Irish have, and we saw that when these teams first met. Their success on fourth down could make the difference as more chances are taken in games like this. All of their offensive firepower in that arsenal makes that a real likelihood.