SMU coach Rhett Lashlee will debut at the 2026 Peach Bowl Challenge, teaming with Army’s Jeff Monken in the charity golf event at Reynolds Lake Oconee.
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee is stepping into a different kind of competition this month, and it brings college football names together for a good cause.
Lashlee is set to make his debut in the 2026 Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge, the annual charity golf tournament that gathers active and former coaches at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia.
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The Peach Bowl Challenge, one of the most recognizable charity events tied to college football, will run April 26-28 and feature a two-man scramble with Stableford scoring.
Lashlee will team with Army coach Jeff Monken, creating one of the more intriguing pairings in this year’s field. Their appearance gives SMU added visibility in an event that consistently draws some of the sport’s biggest personalities.
The 2026 tournament lineup is stacked with accomplished coaches.
The field includes Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Oregon’s Dan Lanning, South Carolina’s Shane Beamer, Duke’s Manny Diaz and Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi, along with several well-known former coaches.
Altogether, the group brings nine FBS national championships, 64 conference titles and 2,925 career wins into the event.
For Lashlee, the bigger story is where the money goes. His tournament winnings will benefit the ED29Foundation, the charity founded by Pro Football Hall of Famer and SMU legend Eric Dickerson.
The foundation supports underserved youth through programs focused on education, health and personal growth.
There’s also plenty of competitive history attached to the event.
Norvell and Urban Meyer enter as the defending champions after winning the last two tournaments, while Paul Johnson remains the all-time winnings leader at $905,000.
Since the event began in 2007, it has raised $10 million for charities and scholarships, reinforcing its place as one of college football’s most impactful offseason traditions.
For Lashlee and SMU, it’s a first appearance with a meaningful purpose and a high-profile stage.
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