Iowa State, SMU athletic directors exchange barbs over CFP credentials - ESPN

Athletic directors at Iowa State and SMU are in a turf war over the latest College Football Playoff rankings, leading to a «stay off my lawn» moment on social media.

The background: SMU, at 11-1 and riding a nine-game winning streak into the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, was slotted at No. 8 in Tuesday night's latest ranking. Iowa State, meanwhile, is at 16th and playing for the title of the Big 12, which appears set to receive only one bid in the 12-team field that comes out Sunday.

Cyclones AD Jamie Pollard doesn't like that, and made his feelings clear on X, pointing out that SMU hasn't played Clemson, Syracuse, Georgia Tech or Miami — four of the ACC's top seven teams — and lost at home to BYU of the Big 12.

«Looks like your lawn may be artificial,» Pollard wrote in a post directed to SMU's AD, Rick Hart.

Hart mowed down Pollard with a response of his own that started with «respect you, but bad take.»

He compared nonconference schedules — SMU's was better — and pointed out the Mustangs have trailed for only about six minutes of their past nine games.

«I could go on… Stay off my lawn!» he posted.

Jamie, respect you but bad take. ISU had No. D, Iowa, Ark. St. non-con. SMU had Nev., HCU, TCU, BYU. (And scrambled due to Vandy dropping us.) SMU 1 of 2 to win all conf. games, 1 of 3 with 9 P4 wins, trailed a TOTAL of 6+ mins. last 9 games. I could go on… Stay off my lawn!