SMU coach Rhett Lashlee adds fuel to fire, dismisses Sun Belt’s claim to replace CFP

If you thought the third day of ACC Media Days was going to end without fireworks, boy, you were wrong!

SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee hit the court in Charlotte on Friday morning and discussed the upcoming season of the 2024 ACC Champions.

Among some of the topics of discussion were the Mustangs’ bevy of offensive and defensive coordinators and the balance within the conference and how that relates to the College Football Playoff picture.

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Speaking of CFP, Lashlee decided to give the Duke Blue Devils the favor of winning the ACC in 2025, and in doing so, he may have made an enemy or two in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the process.

There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s start with Lashlee’s claims that the ACC champion should have made the College Football Playoff.

As for the rules going forward, Lashlee and the rest of the ACC won’t have to worry, as each Power 4 conference champion will be guaranteed entry into the CFP.

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This is good news, especially for the Mustangs, who are expected to finish near the top of the league in 2026.

Now, let’s get rid of the cheap statements made by Lashlee.

Southern Methodist head coach Rhett Lashlee answers questions from the media during ACC Media Days at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown. (Photos by Jim Dedmon/Imagn)

“A team from the Sun Belt” probably means James Madison University, which made the CFP due to last year’s eligibility rules.

In 2025, the five top-ranked conference champions received automatic bids to the Playoff, and since the Blue Devils were 8-5 following conference championship week and were eliminated from the final CFP rankings, the JMU Dukes agreed (along with fellow No. 6 Tulane).

I like the idea of ​​rewarding the power conference winners for their hard work, and I think this year’s format fits better with the competitive scene, but Duke’s 2025 team lost to G6 rival Tulane and UConn, which is independent, so if there was a year ACC rivals didn’t deserve a trip to the playoffs last year.

Lashlee took a lot of heat for this in the comments section, as dozens of JMU fans flooded On3 reporter Brett McMurphy’s blog with jeers and jeers.

It’s safe to say that Lashlee won’t be getting a warm welcome in Rockingham County anytime soon.

You could even make the argument that Notre Dame deserves a spot in the CFP ahead of Duke or James Madison, but that’s a different story for a different time.

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Appalachian State’s Shawn Collins (12) recovers from a fumble by James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III (14) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, NC. (Allison Lee Isley/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

Either way, SMU and JMU’s first-round playoff matchup will be absolutely cinematic, so let’s hope these two meet at the end of the season.

And if that coaching gig at James Madison’s head ever opens up anytime soon, don’t expect Lashlee’s name to be on any short list to wear the purple and gold.