Ahead of its huge matchup with No. 3 Notre Dame Saturday night, No. 3 Miami was on the receiving end of some clinching.
Thanks in large part, again, to the dynamic play of Lamar Jackson, Louisville cruised to a 38-21 win over Virginia. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner accounted for four touchdowns -- three passing, one rushing. That gives him 36 on the season after scoring 51 in 2016.
With the loss, UVa. falls to 3-3 in conference play and into a tie for third in the ACC Coastal Division with Virginia Tech behind 4-3 Virginia Tech. With Miami sitting at 6-0, and with just two conference games remaining, the Hurricanes have officially clinched the division title and, with it, a spot in the league championship game.
This will mark The U’s first-ever conference championship game appearance since the inaugural one was played in 2005. Virginia Tech (six times), Georgia Tech (four), Duke (one) and North Carolina (one) all represented the division in that game before Miami’s first appearance.
And UM’s opponent? Clemson, which clinched the Atlantic Division shortly after Miami’s clinching was official courtesy of a win over Florida State. The Tigers will now be appearing in its third straight conference title game and fifth overall.