SMU Head Coach Rhett Lashlee hollers at the officials during Saturday's ACC game against Cal on Saturday in Dallas at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. (Brad Kennedy/Panola Watchman)

DALLAS — With a trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game already secured, the SMU Mustangs wanted to keep impressing the selection committee and send their 30 seniors out on a high note in their final game at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

No. 9 ranked SMU accomplished both and have now put themselves in a spot where a win in the ACC title is not the end all be all to reach the College Football Playoff.

With Saturday’s 38-6 blowout victory of visiting Cal, SMU continues to control their own destiny as the Mustangs wrapped up a second-straight 11-1 regular season and went a perfect 8-0 in ACC regular season play.

Before getting to the meat and potatoes of the matter, SMU Coach Rhett Lashlee wanted to talk about his team’s accomplishments this season.

“Just proud of these guys — back-to-back years 11 wins and didn’t lose a conference game,” Lashlee said. “To play in championship weekend two years in a row, and I told those 30 seniors in the locker room it’s been a pleasure to watch them play.”

Then the third-year head coach got to the matter at hand of has SMU done enough regardless of Saturday’s ACC title game against Clemson to earn a spot in the 12-team CFB.

“Yeah I do,” Lashlee said. “I don’t think there’s any question. You go 11-1 and 8-0 (in conference) and 9-1 against Power 4 opponents and there is a lot of stats out there. We have a chance to control it by winning next week and hopefully win a championship.”

I’ll piggyback off of Lashlee’s quote as I’m in complete agreement — SMU has already done more than enough to earn a spot in the CFB.

The Mustangs are one of only two Power 4 teams that went undefeated in conference play with the team being No. 1 ranked Oregon.

SMU isn’t riding a record setting year by one individual — the Mustangs have the total package of an amazing offense that can beat you through the air or on the ground, one of the most underrated defenses in the country — and most of SMU simply wins.

Among those that SMU has counted on is senior wide receiver and Carthage High alum Moochie Dixon, who Lashlee had tremendous praise for after playing his final game at Ford Stadium.

“He’s made some big plays all three years he’s been here,” Lashlee said. “There’s been some ups and downs but Moochie has a chance to play for awhile. He’s going to get a chance to make a team. He can run he has great hands and one of the best smiles in the building.”

Dixon was one of eight different receivers to have a reception in the game as the senior had two catches for 30 yards in the trouncing of Cal.

For as enamored as I am watching quarterback Kevin Jennings and the high potent offense, it’s the SMU defense that is making a statement today against Cal.

SMU held Cal to 254 yards of total offense in the game.

“We knew coming into the season that we had a really talented team,” said SMU senior safety Jonathan McGill, who had an interception in the game. “We knew we could get to this point and get into the conference championship. It just took the culmination of players, scheme and really how we embrace each other as a family.”

In a wild season in the ACC the one constant has been SMU.

Miami, who came into the game ranked No. 6, needed a road victory at unranked Syracuse and lost 42-38 to the Orange and with that defeat lifted No. 12 Clemson into the ACC title game.

Clemson also dropped their regular season finale a 17-14 loss at home to No. 15 ranked South Carolina.

Lashlee has nothing but the utmost praise for Dabo Sweeney and Clemson.

“Coach Sweeney and Clemson have become the gold standard of our league the last decade and a half,” Lashlee said. “I really respect how he runs his program.”

In SMU’s first season in the ACC, how fitting would it be for the Mustangs, who have overcome every obstacle put in front of them in their first year in the conference, to take out the gold standard?

Even if the Mustangs were to come up just short on Saturday in Charlotte, SMU met all the necessary requirements — especially in my mind — of making it to the CFB.

“I do hope that our team is rewarded for their body of work,” Lashlee said. “Us and Oregon are the only two teams to go undefeated in a power conference. I hope that means that we are one of the top 12 teams regardless.”

The Mustangs’ body of work speaks for itself but there’s a way to avoid all of it and control the narrative — beat Clemson.

Since the start of the season SMU felt they had all the necessary pieces to not just make a run in their inaugural season in the ACC but potentially win it all.

SMU has made believers out of their fans who have come back in droves to support them after 30-plus years of ineptitude and ushered in some new fans who have the Mustangs as a top-10 program in the nation once again.

This season has been special, and the Mustangs deserve the right to keep it going into the CFB.

“This team is really special,” senior running back Brashard Smith said. “I’m proud to be on this team and just need to finish out strong.”

Contact Ryan Silapan at rsilapan@panolawatchman.com