SMU coach Rhett Lashlee offers strong comment about making CFP

Oct 19, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee stands on the sideline during the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee offered some strong comments on Saturday night regarding his team’s status as a contender for the College Football Playoff.

SMU came back from down 24-7 to Clemson at halftime of the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The Mustangs rallied to tie the game at 31 with 13 seconds left, but they lost on a 56-yard field goal by Clemson as time expired.

The loss made SMU 11-2 and will drop them down the standings in the College Football Playoff rankings. But will they remain in the 12-team field? Lashlee thinks they absolutely should and thinks it would be “criminal” if his team were to be omitted.

“It would be criminal if we are not in. It would be wrong not just to our team but to what college football stands for,” Lashlee said on Saturday.

Lashlee further said that his team shouldn’t be penalized for making the ACC Championship game and losing.

“We could have not showed up and according to what we saw Tuesday night, we’d be in. We showed it. We should be in. They know we should be in,” he said.

The question is whether the 11-2 Mustangs should be dropped in favor of a 9-3 Alabama team that didn’t reach the SEC Championship game. SMU didn’t have any wins over top-25 teams, but they also only lost two games, including one to Clemson. Alabama had three losses, including bad ones to Vandy and Oklahoma. For now, most people don’t believe SMU will be left out.