After their 34-31 defeat to Clemson in the ACC championship match, SMU spent every moment pondering and fretting over its chances of securing a place in the College Football Playoff. In the tense final moments before the playoff brackets were announced, Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee experienced relief from an unforeseen source. Just a minute before […]
After their 34-31 defeat to Clemson in the ACC championship match, SMU spent every moment pondering and fretting over its chances of securing a place in the College Football Playoff.
In the tense final moments before the playoff brackets were announced, Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee experienced relief from an unforeseen source.
Just a minute before ESPN’s selection special, college football journalist Brett McMurphy shared a groundbreaking scoop on X, the social media outlet previously named Twitter — SMU had secured the last at-large position in the 12-team playoff lineup, surpassing Alabama, as reported by McMurphy citing undisclosed sources.
REQUIRED READING:Who is SMU’s football coach? Rhett Lashlee has Mustangs on verge of CFP berth
For Lashlee, witnessing the announcement was more beneficial than a trip to the doctor.
“It probably dropped my heart rate from around 200 to 160,” Lashlee stated in a conversation with ESPN after the brackets were unveiled. “Until we saw SMU listed, you’re just on edge.”
Although tipping off news from a made-for-television event isn’t usually shocking in sports — it occurs yearly with NBA draft picks before they’re revealed — this is thought to be the first instance of any bracket details being leaked throughout the playoff’s 11-year existence, as per Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.
McMurphy, currently associated with the sports betting organization the Action Network, previously reported on college football for ESPN.
Alabama was anticipated to qualify for the playoffs after the committee’s second-to-last rankings, which placed the Crimson Tide at No. 11. However, Clemson’s win over SMU, secured by a 56-yard field goal at the final moment, granted the Tigers an automatic berth in the playoff roster as the ACC champion, placing Clemson ahead of Alabama despite being ranked five positions lower in the committee’s final list. The Mustangs’ heart-wrenching loss, on the other hand, only dropped it two spots to No. 10, keeping it just ahead of Alabama.
At the very least, the much-discussed outcome resulted in a thrilled coach.
“Just incredibly happy,” Lashlee shared. “Grateful to the committee for acknowledging our team’s overall efforts.”
