Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's cellphone started blowing up with messages from players, friends and colleagues when the Tigers, still smarting after a loss to their instate rival, found out they had made the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Clemson has to win the ACC title game in Charlotte, North Carolina, to get into the now-expanded College Football Playoff for the seventh time — only Alabama has more appearances with eight, in what was a four-team format from its inception 10 years ago.

Syracuse upset No. 6 Miami, 42-38, on Saturday night in New York to drop the Hurricanes to 6-2 in conference play and send Clemson, which finished 7-1 in ACC play two weeks ago, to next week’s conference championship vs. SMU.