SMU Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee spoke out about the perception of the ACC. On Tuesday, in a press conference during the 2025 ACC Kickoff, he shared why the ACC is one of the best conferences.Lashlee highlighted the ACC's achievements in winning national championships compared to other conferences."All the teams that have won a national championship since 1990 are either in the ACC, the SEC, or the Big Ten," Lashlee said (0:12). "I mentioned that in the last 15 years, we're tied for the second most championships with three with the Big Ten. I don't know why that's not talked about more."He also praised the ACC's financial success and brand exposure. Lashlee believes the conference will continue to have multiple contenders for the national championship if the current College Football Playoff 12-team format remains."Most people want to see things decided on the field, so let's let it happen that way," Lashlee said (0:37). "I don't think there's any question that if stayed at 12, we're every year a multi-bid league. I mean, Miami should've been in last year at 10-2. There's no question they were one of the top 12 teams in America."SMU and Clemson Tigers were the only teams from the ACC to clinch spots in the College Football Playoff last season. The Miami Hurricanes came close, but the selection committee believed they were the 18th-best team in the nation. Lashlee empathized with the selection committee, acknowledging that they have a difficult job of deciding who should compete in the tournament.On Dec. 21, 2024, SMU suffered a 38-10 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Lashlee will aim to lead the Mustangs to a national championship win in his fourth year as their coach.Key players to look out for in the SMU Mustangs' 2025 seasonSMU Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee has several key players from last year returning to help compete for the College Football Playoff National Championship. One of them is starting quarterback Kevin Jennings.The sophomore played a pivotal role in the team's success, completing 247 passes for 3,425 yards and 23 touchdowns. SMU fans will hope that he improves in the offseason after a lackluster showing in the first round of the College Football Playoff.In the loss to Penn State Nittany Lions, Jennings completed 20 of 36 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown. He also threw three interceptions, which played a crucial role in their defeat.Another key player who has returned to play for Lashlee is Kobe Wilson. The linebacker played a significant role on defense last year, with 117 total tackles (54 solo), three sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble.SMU begin the 2025 season against the East Texas A&M Lions on Aug. 30.