ACC Media Days Highlighted by Remarks from SMU Coach Rhett Lashlee

The third day of ACC Media Days proved to be eventful with SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee addressing the audience in Charlotte. During his speech, Lashlee discussed the season ahead for the 2024 ACC Champions, covering topics such as the Mustangs’ coaching team and conference parity regarding the College Football Playoff (CFP) outlook.

Lashlee praised the Duke Blue Devils for their ACC championship win in 2025. However, mentioning Duke’s victory stirred reactions in Harrisonburg, Virginia, due to its implications on CFP selections. Lashlee suggested that an ACC champion deserved a spot in the Playoff. Moving forward, the CFP guarantees a berth for each Power 4 conference champion, alleviating concerns for Lashlee and the ACC.

“A team from the Sun Belt” likely referred to James Madison University, qualifying for the CFP under last year’s rules. In 2025, the top-ranked five conference champions automatically made the Playoff. Duke, unranked and with an 8-5 record after the championship week, lost out to JMU.

The format for awarding power conference champions seems favorable for a competitive Playoff field compared to last year. The 2025 Duke team had losses against Tulane, a G6 opponent, and UConn, an Independent. If there was a year when ACC champions were less deserving, that was the year.

Lashlee’s comments drew criticism from JMU fans reacting to On3 reporter Brett McMurphy’s post, filling the comments with taunts. Lashlee might not receive a warm welcome in Rockingham County soon. Some might argue Notre Dame had more right to a CFP spot than Duke or JMU, but that’s a topic for another occasion.

A potential SMU vs. JMU matchup in the Playoff’s first round would be compelling to watch, and expectations are high for such a meeting. Should the JMU head coaching position become available, it’s unlikely Lashlee’s name will appear on any candidate lists.

Austin Perry writes for OutKick.