SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee pours gasoline on fire, disparages Sun Belt's claim to CFP berth

If you thought day three of ACC Media Days would go off without any fireworks, boy, were you wrong!SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee hit the podium in Charlotte on Friday morning and discussed the upcoming season for the 2024 ACC Champions.Among some of the topics of conversation were the Mustangs' bevy of offensive and defensive coordinators as well as the parity within the conference and how that pertains to the College Football Playoff picture.

MIKE ELKO GIVES HIS BRUTALLY HONEST OPINION ABOUT EXPANDING THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFSpeaking of the CFP, Lashlee decided to give props to the Duke Blue Devils for 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 an ACC champion should have made the College Football Playoff.As far as the rules moving forward, Lashlee and the rest of the ACC won't have to worry, since each Power 4 conference champion will be guaranteed a berth in the CFP.

INSIDE THE FIGHT: NIL ARMS RACE FUELING NEW PUSH FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF EXPANSIONThat's good news, particularly for the Mustangs, who look to be projected to finish near the top of the league in 2026.Now, let's unpack the more incendiary statements made by Lashlee."A team from the Sun Belt" almost certainly means James Madison University, who made the CFP as a result of last year's qualifying rules.

In 2025, the five highest ranked conference champions received automatic bids to the Playoff, and since the Blue Devils were 8-5 following conference championship week and unranked in the final CFP standings, the JMU Dukes got the nod (along with fellow Group of 6 brethren Tulane).I like the idea of awarding power conference winners for their hard work, and I think this year's format is more conducive to a competitive field, but that 2025 Duke squad lost to a G6 opponent in Tulane as well as UConn, an Independent, so if there was ever a year the A