With the 2024 college football campaign in the books, ESPN took a look back at the season and ranked the top 100 games of the year (subscription required).

Two Clemson games made the list, including one Tiger victory and one defeat.

Clemson’s 34-31 win over SMU in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 7 checked in at No. 15 in ESPN’s ranking.

Of course, that thrilling contest saw Clemson freshman kicker Nolan Hauser boot a 56-yard field goal as time expired, as the Tigers claimed their eighth conference championship in the past 10 seasons and earned a berth in the 2024 College Football Playoff.

“Clemson became the first bid thief of the 12-team playoff era — call it another playoff victory for Dabo Swinney’s Tigers over Alabama — by surging to an early lead in the ACC championship and holding on for dear life,” ESPN’s Bill Connelly wrote. “Thanks to a Kevin Jennings fumble and two quick Cade Klubnik touchdown passes, they led 14-0 after just five minutes and eventually expanded that to 24-7 at halftime. But Jennings threw three touchdown passes in the second half, the last of which went to Roderick Daniels Jr. to tie the game with 16 seconds remaining.

“Instead of going for two points and the win, SMU’s Rhett Lashlee elected to take momentum into overtime. That backfired when Adam Randall returned the kickoff near midfield, Antonio Williams caught a 17-yard pass and Nolan Hauser nailed a 56-yard field goal at the buzzer to send the Tigers into the CFP.”

A week before the ACC title game, Clemson lost its rivalry showdown against South Carolina at Death Valley, 17-14, on Nov. 30, and that game came in at No. 35 in ESPN’s ranking.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik led the Tigers inside the 20-yard line with less than a minute to play, but a deflected pass was intercepted by Demetrius Knight Jr. to seal the Gamecocks’ win in the 121st installment of the rivalry. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers scored the game-winning touchdown on a 20-yard scramble on third-and-15 with 1:08 to play, and South Carolina held on for the win.

“Late in the season, the Gamecocks started winning the dramatic ones,” Connelly wrote. “It looked as if they would knock Clemson out of the CFP when, trailing 14-10 late, Sellers meandered his way past seemingly every Tigers defender to score from 20 yards and make it 17-14.

“Clemson quickly charged back into field goal range, but Demetrius Knight Jr. picked off an ill-advised Cade Klubnik pass to seal the win.”

Overall, ESPN ranked Vanderbilt’s 40-35 upset victory over Alabama on Oct. 5 as the No. 1 game of the 2024 season.