SMU’s Rhett Lashlee slams ESPN’s ‘rigged’ college football rankings
Rhett Lashlee, the head coach of SMU, is not shying away from his belief that ESPN shows favoritism towards the Big Ten and SEC conferences. He has once again called out the network for what he perceives as bias in their rankings.
In June, ESPN released its Football Power Index rankings, which are designed to predict team performance for the upcoming season. ACC teams Miami and Clemson were ranked at No. 9 and No. 11 respectively, while SMU was placed at No. 20 following their impressive 11-3 season that culminated in a surprise College Football Playoff berth.
Fast forward to now, as the new season approaches, ESPN has updated their rankings. Interestingly, Miami and Clemson have both dropped in the rankings to No. 17 and No. 16, while SMU has moved up a spot to No. 19. This has led Lashlee to voice his suspicions, stating that the rankings are rigged.
This is not the first time Lashlee has criticized ESPN and the perceived favoritism towards the Big Ten and SEC. Last season, he questioned the notion that these conferences were superior to the ACC and Big 12, labeling the SEC as “top-heavy” due to the same six schools winning championships since 1964.
As SMU looks to build on their successful season, Lashlee’s outspoken nature and willingness to challenge the status quo add an element of excitement to the sport. It will be interesting to see how this dynamic plays out throughout the season, with Lashlee ready to take more shots at ESPN and the powerhouse conferences.
