Rhett Lashlee Is Making It Impossible For College Football To Ignore SMU

DALLAS - Rhett Lashlee isn't just winning football games at SMU. He's turning the Mustangs into one of the ACC's most consistent programs, and the national recognition keeps coming.

The SMU football coach has been named to the 2026 Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year Award watch list, joining 27 other coaches competing for one of college football's most respected honors.

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For Lashlee, now in his fifth season leading the Mustangs, the numbers explain why he's getting noticed.

Following SMU's victory over Virginia, Lashlee owns a 43-17 overall record, including a remarkable 17-3 mark in ACC competition. The Mustangs have also won 10 consecutive conference home games and are 32-6 over their last 38 regular-season contests.

That's not a promising start anymore. That's sustained success.

And much of it starts with quarterback Kevin Jennings.

SMU has developed one of the country's most explosive passing attacks, averaging 326.0 yards through the air per game. That ranks fifth nationally and second in the ACC.

The Mustangs are also producing 466.7 yards of total offense per contest, placing them 15th nationally and third in the conference.

Those numbers have made SMU a dangerous opponent, particularly at home, where the Mustangs have turned Gerald J. Ford Stadium into one of the ACC's tougher destinations.

But Lashlee's case for national recognition goes beyond offensive production.

Since taking over the program, he's helped guide SMU through its transition into the ACC while maintaining the winning expectations established before the conference move.

The Mustangs haven't simply adjusted to their new surroundings. They've become a legitimate factor in the conference championship conversation.

Lashlee faces impressive competition for the Bryant Award, including Ohio State's Ryan Day, Georgia's Kirby Smart, Indiana's Curt Cignetti, Miami's Mario Cristobal and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman.

Fellow Texas coaches Steve Sarkisian of Texas, Joey McGuire of Texas Tech and Willie Fritz of Houston also earned spots on the watch list.

The award recognizes coaches for leadership, competitive success and the qualities of "grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life," according to the American Heart Association, which presents the honor.

Unlike most major coaching awards, the Bryant Award isn't presented until after the national championship game.

The 2026 winner will be announced Jan. 27, 2027, during a ceremony in Houston televised by CBS Sports Network.

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For SMU, Lashlee's inclusion provides another indication of how far the program has climbed nationally.

And with Jennings directing an offense that continues to produce impressive numbers, the Mustangs have an opportunity to give their head coach an even stronger argument as the season unfolds.