In the ever-evolving world of college football, debates about the College Football Playoff field are as annual as the sport itself. Last season was no different, and the controversy that erupted when the CFP selection committee announced its final four still echoes across the landscape. This time, the unexpected voice adding fuel to the fire is SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee, who didn’t hold back when asked for his take on the most hotly debated snub of the 2024 playoff—Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide.
Lashlee, whose Mustangs made headlines last season by breaking into the ACC and putting together a strong campaign, didn’t mince words when asked whether he thought the committee got it right. “Alabama should have been in the College Football Playoff,” Lashlee stated. “It’s not even close. They were one of the four best teams in the country, and they proved that over and over down the stretch. Leaving them out was a mistake, plain and simple.”
Lashlee’s comments reignited a debate that had cooled somewhat since the playoff concluded. Alabama, who won the SEC Championship with a thrilling victory over then-undefeated Georgia, was left out of the playoff in favor of Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Florida State. The exclusion of the Crimson Tide became the most polarizing issue of the season, especially considering their trajectory of dominance after a shaky start.
“Look at how they played the second half of the year,” Lashlee continued. “That team wasn’t just beating people—they were suffocating teams with defense, dominating the line of scrimmage, and making big plays in clutch moments. What more do you want from a playoff-caliber program?”
The Mustangs head coach isn’t alone in that sentiment. Many analysts and former players echoed the same viewpoint during the playoff selection window, particularly after Alabama toppled Georgia, who had been riding a 29-game win streak. That victory came after a gauntlet of tough SEC matchups that saw the Tide improve each week and evolve from an early-season question mark into a battle-tested contender.
Perhaps what made Alabama’s omission sting more was the subsequent performance of the playoff teams. Florida State, undefeated but without starting quarterback Jordan Travis, was left out despite its record, causing an outcry about fairness. Ironically, that same logic applied to Alabama, who overcame adversity, found a steady quarterback in Jalen Milroe, and showed weekly improvement.
“Nick Saban had those guys playing at a championship level,” Lashlee said. “You want your playoff to have the best four teams, right? Not the four most convenient records. Alabama was clearly one of the best.”
One of the main arguments made in favor of Texas over Alabama was their head-to-head victory in Tuscaloosa. The Longhorns’ early-season road win over the Crimson Tide gave them the tiebreaker edge when the committee looked to finalize the field. That game, however, occurred in September, and Alabama looked like a completely different team by November and December. Lashlee didn’t dismiss Texas’s resume, but he emphasized that the playoff should reward momentum and strength of schedule at the right time.
“No disrespect to Texas,” Lashlee said. “They had a fantastic year. But if we’re talking about which teams would have been the toughest out in the playoff, Alabama would’ve given anybody fits. The way they played against Georgia—that’s the kind of performance that deserves a playoff spot.”
The reaction from Crimson Tide fans to Lashlee’s statement was immediate and appreciative. After months of feeling snubbed and overshadowed, having another respected coach validate their frustration was seen as vindication. On Alabama message boards and across social media, Lashlee’s words were shared widely, sparking renewed debates.
Yet Lashlee’s bold take wasn’t just about defending Alabama. It also underscored a broader concern about the selection process and the subjectivity involved. The four-team playoff era, which began in 2014, was often criticized for creating more controversy than clarity. Teams were left out not because of inferior talent, but because of timing, injury, or a single early-season loss.
“The four-team model was always going to leave somebody worthy on the outside looking in,” Lashlee explained. “When the margin is that razor thin, the committee is forced to make impossible decisions. That’s why we’re moving to a 12-team playoff—it gives more deserving teams a shot.”
The shift to a 12-team playoff is a move that most coaches and players support, and Lashlee sees it as a necessary evolution for the sport. He believes that if last season had the expanded format, Alabama would not only have been in but would’ve likely made a deep run.
“Think about that 12-team format with Alabama as, say, the No. 5 seed,” he said. “Who’s beating them in the first two rounds? Nobody wants to see them in that bracket. You get a chance to prove it on the field instead of relying on a committee.”
While Alabama ultimately went on to win its New Year’s Six bowl game in dominant fashion, many felt that the Tide’s exclusion robbed the playoff of its most compelling and dangerous team. It also marked one of the rare instances where an SEC champion was left out of the playoff entirely—a decision that will remain a talking point for years to come.
Lashlee, whose own program is trying to gain national recognition and climb into the playoff picture in the ACC, isn’t shy about sharing his perspective. Having coached in the SEC as a coordinator at Auburn and having faced Saban-coached teams up close, Lashlee knows exactly what it takes to reach the top of the mountain.
“Beating Alabama—or even competing with them—is one of the hardest things to do in this sport,” Lashlee said. “When they find their rhythm, they’re almost unbeatable. To see that team get left out after everything they overcame—it just didn’t sit right with me.”
The remarks come as college football prepares for a future where the playoff field will expand and likely reduce these controversies. Still, last season’s snub will live on as a reminder of just how fragile the line between in and out can be—and how even a legendary program like Alabama is not immune to the harsh realities of selection politics.
From Lashlee’s vantage point, it’s less about being a fan of Alabama and more about respecting the game and its competitive balance.
“I just want to see the best teams rewarded,” he said. “And Alabama was one of the best. Simple as that.”
As summer workouts begin and media days approach, don’t be surprised if Lashlee’s comments resurface during interviews. His unapologetic support of Alabama’s playoff case might earn him side-eyes from fans of rival schools, but it also reveals a truth that many quietly believe. In the eyes of coaches who game-plan, grind film, and prepare for war on Saturdays, Alabama was a playoff team that just didn’t get its shot.
In a sport where narratives shift quickly and yesterday’s controversy becomes tomorrow’s trivia question, Lashlee’s perspective might not change the past—but it adds a valuable voice to the historical record of one of the most controversial CFP decisions to date.
