Rhett Lashlee Challenges ESPN Rankings

Rhett Lashlee, the head football coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU), has reiterated his belief that ESPN shows favoritism in its rankings of college football teams. Earlier in June, ESPN released its Football Power Index rankings, placing the Mustangs at 20th for the 2025 season. In contrast, ACC teams such as Miami and Clemson were ranked higher, at 9th and 11th, respectively.

The Football Power Index is designed to measure team strength and predict future performance for the season ahead. Recently, ESPN updated these rankings, and surprisingly, the Mustangs, who made unexpected playoff appearances last season, have jumped to the number one spot after finishing with an 11-3 record. Meanwhile, Miami and Clemson slipped to 17th and 16th place.

This prompted Lashlee to label ESPN’s ranking system as a “farce.” He emphasized this sentiment on social media, expressing skepticism over the way the rankings are structured.

He further reflected on how the ACC and Big 12 seem to be downplayed in comparison to the perceived strength of the Big Ten and SEC conferences, which he described as “top heavy.”

Lashlee, coming off a vocal season last year, pointed out that even though teams from other leagues tout their depth, the SEC has consistently dominated the championship scene since 1964, often with the same few schools winning. To him, that’s not what true depth looks like.

He clearly has strong convictions about the Mustangs’ success heading into 2025, and he expressed admiration for the school he represents. Notably, it was Clemson, coached by veteran Dabo Swinney, that edged out SMU in the 2024 ACC Championship match, winning 34-31. Meanwhile, Lashlee’s team was considered a favorite during that tightly contested game at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Lashlee’s ambitions for the Mustangs will kick off with their first game against East Texas A&M on August 30th, a significant moment as he aims to lead his team toward a successful season.