Rhett Lashlee Even Believes Miami Should Have made it to the CFB Playoffs

Some people question whether the Hurricanes were or weren't snubbed out of the playoffs, but SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee had no doubts. He said he believed Miami should have made the College Football Playoff.

“Miami should have been in last year with a 10-2 record. No question they were one of the top 12 teams in the country,” Lashlee said. In December, he added, “If teams like Tennessee and Ohio State get in at 10-2, then Miami should have, too.”

Lashlee used to be Miami’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021 before becoming the head coach at SMU. Since then, he’s done well, leading SMU to a 7–6 record in his first season and 11–3 the next, winning the AAC title. SMU then joined the ACC in 2024. In their first year in the ACC, Lashlee took SMU all the way to the ACC Championship Game.

Miami finished last season with a 10-2 record, with both losses coming by a combined total of just nine points to Georgia Tech and Syracuse. The loss to Syracuse in their final regular-season game ended up being costly; it kept them out of the ACC Championship Game, which could have helped their case for the College Football Playoff.

In the end, the selection committee put Alabama, which had a 9-3 record, ahead of Miami, even though Miami had a better record and fewer losses.