CHARLOTTE — The cold couldn’t temper what was at stake in Charlotte.

Clemson certainly raised the temperature at Bank of America Stadium.

The Tigers are making a statement in the ACC Championship, heading into the locker room with a 24-7 lead over SMU.

With them 30 minutes away from a playoff spot, Clemson played some of its best football at the right time.

Player of the half: TJ Parker halftime began, but Cade Klubnik I definitely did it.

The Clemson quarterback played his best football at the right time, throwing three touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of the game.

Klubnik got things rolling with a fake to the left side of a quarterback draw, only to pull back and find Bryant Wesco for his first score of the day.

The junior signal caller was decisive and made important plays when the Tigers needed them.

There were moments when Klubnik rose to the occasion, and this first half was a prime example of that.

Halftime statistics: The Tigers win the turnover margin for the second year in a row.

Granted, Clemson absolutely got away with some of the mistakes that SMU unfortunately suffered. A near fumble and interception on a Tiger drive almost changed the momentum back in the Mustangs’ favor.

Still, Clemson has a lead and the points that come with it. For the Tigers to reclaim the ACC crown, making SMU pay for its mistakes was crucial.

What works for Clemson: The Tigers passing attack was mostly successful. Once again, Garrett Riley trusted his young receivers, and they delivered.

Wesco scored twice today, and TJ Moore managed a crucial conversion to give Clemson an early lead.

Klubnik has identified his winners on the perimeter and his freshman wideouts have proven capable against the Mustangs’ secondary.

What doesn’t work at Clemson: There were times when SMU played their brand of football, and that speed was difficult for the Tigers to match.

Wes GoodwinManchester United’s defense was at its best when the Mustang rhythm was broken, but those moments didn’t dominate the half.

SMU turned the ball over twice, and that was when the pre-snap speed was limited to a slow huddle.

What the Tigers need to do to win: The haunting takeaway against the Gamecocks was Clemson’s inability to capitalize on their mistakes.

The Tigers conceded seven early from SMU, with a fumble by Parker, creating a different look that we haven’t seen from this team yet.

With a College Football Playoff berth on the line, the Tigers need to come out swinging in the third quarter and leave no doubt about their ticket to the big dance.