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Rhett Lashlee, the head coach at Southern Methodist University, became the center of attention Friday when he voiced his perspective on College Football Playoff selection criteria at the ACC Media Days event in Charlotte.
The SMU leader used the platform to critique the current structure governing which teams qualify for the expanded playoff tournament and which conferences should hold guaranteed spots.
Lashlee directed particular criticism toward James Madison University, a program from outside the Power 4 conferences that secured a playoff invitation as a Group of 5 champion in the previous cycle. The 2025 rulebook stipulates that automatic bids go only to the five conference champions with the highest rankings.
Duke’s situation illustrated the potential consequences of this format. Despite capturing the ACC title with an 8-5 record, the Blue Devils remained unranked in final CFP standings and consequently missed the automatic bid threshold, allowing James Madison and Tulane to fill those Group of 5 slots instead.
Social media users aligned with James Madison responded sharply to Lashlee’s commentary, with numerous posts pushing back against his position regarding non-Power 4 school eligibility.
Beginning next season, the College Football Playoff will guarantee spots for every Power 4 conference champion—a rule modification that could significantly advantage SMU as it seeks to establish itself among the ACC’s upper tier.
The public dispute has likely poisoned any possibility of a constructive relationship between the two programs for years to come.
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