Iowa State, SMU athletic administrators trade barbs over CFP credentials

Athletic administrators at Iowa State and SMU are in a turf warfare over the newest College Football Playoff rankings, resulting in a “keep off my garden” second on social media.

The background: SMU, at 11-1 and driving a nine-game successful streak into the Atlantic Coast Conference title sport, was slotted at No. 8 in Tuesday night time’s newest rating. Iowa State, in the meantime, is at sixteenth and enjoying for the title of the Big 12, which seems set to obtain just one bid within the 12-team discipline that comes out Sunday.

Cyclones AD Jamie Pollard does not like that, and made his emotions clear on X, stating that SMU hasn’t performed Clemson, Syracuse, Georgia Tech or Miami — 4 of the ACC’s high seven groups — and misplaced at house to BYU of the Big 12.

“Looks like your garden could also be synthetic,” Pollard wrote in a publish directed to SMU’s AD, Rick Hart.

Hart mowed down Pollard with a response of his personal that began with “respect you, however unhealthy take.”

He in contrast nonconference schedules — SMU’s was higher — and identified the Mustangs have trailed for less than about six minutes of their previous 9 video games.

“I may go on … Stay off my garden!” he posted.

Iowa State seems to be in a win-or-else mode, whereas SMU’s destiny is rather less clear.

If the Mustangs lose to No. 17 Clemson, the CFP choice committee must determine how a lot to penalize a staff that made a title sport, whereas others in competition didn’t. The selection may, as an illustration, pit SMU towards Alabama, which is ranked eleventh and is the final staff on this week’s projected bracket.

Of course, a few of these variations will likely be settled on the sector Saturday. Pollard, the Iowa State AD, conceded as a lot by opening his salvo to Hart with this olive department: “Rick, beat Clemson Saturday and I’ll respect your rating,” he mentioned.

Information from The Associated Press was used on this report.