SMU coach Rhett Lashlee takes aim at preseason FPI, strength of schedule rankings
By Andrew Olson
Published:
For some fans, the 2026 college football season started to feel real this month when ESPN updated the Football Power Index on July 9.
The FPI, a simulation-based measure of team strength, ranks all 138 FBS teams. With the preseason Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 not yet out, the FPI rankings are some of the first major rankings of the season. With all 138 teams ranked, the FPI can also rank teams’ strength of schedule.
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Rhett Lashlee takes issue with the preseason FPI. In response to an ESPN tweet about every SEC team ranking in the top 20 of FPI strength of schedule, a reporter used Lashlee’s words from ACC Media Days. The SMU coach approved, adding some more thoughts in a post of his own.
It’s so obvious, yet rarely ever questioned. Last year doesn’t matter anymore AT ALL. We have NO idea who anyone is yet – so it’s impossible to have strength of schedule or FPI yet … there’s literally NO data to go off. Nothing to measure, compare or judge yet. However, we… https://t.co/437lbXY0C3
— Rhett Lashlee (@rhettlashlee) July 30, 2026
SMU HC Rhett Lashlee at ACC Media Days:
— Dean Ralsky (@DeanRalsky) July 30, 2026
"Whenever some of y’all figure out how we can have pre-season strength of schedules and power rankings before anybody has played a game, y’all let me know."
Sums it up pretty well. https://t.co/aaxtsEiXWx pic.twitter.com/Hu6o7CVWdY
As for Lashlee and the Mustangs, the FPI gives SMU a preseason ranking of No. 24, good for third in the ACC behind No. 7 Miami and No. 19 Clemson. The ACC recently released its media poll, and the Mustangs were picked to finish second in the league, behind Miami and ahead of Louisville. Clemson came in fourth in the media poll.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
