League newcomer SMU can clinch a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game when the No. 13 Mustangs visit Virginia on Saturday afternoon in Charlottesville, Va.The Mustangs (9-1, 6-0) have a seven-game winning streak and are the only program in the 17-team conference without a loss in league play. The ACC champion will earn an automatic bid into the 12-team College Football Playoff.SMU is 4-0 on the road heading into its first-ever meeting with Virginia (5-5, 3-3), which has lost four of its last five games and has not won at Scott Stadium since beating Boston College on Oct. 5.The Cavaliers need one more victory to have a shot at their first bowl game since the 2019 season.SMU was tested last week, trailing early in the third quarter before pulling out a 38-28 home win against Boston College.It was the Mustangs’ third win by 10 points or less in ACC play, following a 34-27 victory at then-No. 22 Louisville on Oct. 5 and a 28-27 overtime decision at Duke on Oct. 26.”They’re the hardest ones to win,” Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee said. “I think our guys did a nice job of hanging in there and understanding the only thing we’ve got to do is win. … It’s going to get harder and harder as the season shrinks and the games mean more.”Kevin Jennings passed for 298 yards and three touchdowns against the Eagles. Brashard Smith rushed for 120 yards and a score, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark (1,026) for the season.The unexpected challenge from Boston College reminded the Mustangs that anything can happen on Saturdays.”The exciting thing about college football right now is every week you see somebody lose that wasn’t really supposed to lose,” SMU safety Isaiah Nwokobia said, per The Dallas Morning News. “Any given week, you could lose if you don’t come prepared.”