Southern Methodist University head coach Rhett Lashlee made headlines Friday during ACC Media Days in Charlotte, drawing particular attention with his comments about conference representation in the College Football Playoff.
During his appearance, Lashlee addressed the composition of this year’s playoff field and expressed strong opinions about which teams deserved automatic bids under the current selection format.
The SMU coach appeared to take aim at James Madison University, which received a playoff berth last year as a Group of 5 conference champion. Under the 2025 qualifying rules, only the five highest-ranked conference champions earned automatic invitations to the expanded playoff.
Lashlee noted that Duke, which finished 8-5 and unranked in the final CFP standings after winning the ACC championship, did not receive an automatic bid. This opened the door for James Madison to qualify instead, alongside fellow non-Power 4 school Tulane.
The SMU coach’s remarks prompted significant backlash from James Madison supporters on social media, with fans flooding sports commentary posts with criticism of his assessment.
Moving forward, new College Football Playoff rules guarantee that every Power 4 conference champion will secure a playoff spot, a development that stands to benefit SMU as the Mustangs are projected to compete near the top of the ACC standings.
Lashlee’s comments have effectively eliminated any possibility of a cordial relationship between him and the James Madison program in the foreseeable future.
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