While teams are vying for a national championship against 11 others, many college football players, including those in the College Football Playoff, are on the hunt for new schools.

The transfer portal opened up last week, several days before the 12-team College Football Playoff, and the timing has led to skepticism.

Earlier this week, Penn State backup quarterback Beau Pribula said he was put in an "impossible" situation to enter the portal, following Drew Allar's announcement to return next season, when the team has bigger things to focus on. Even head coach James Franklin said the quarterback was in a "no-win" situation.

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Well, the head coach that will be opposite Franklin in Rhett Lashlee took it a step further, calling the timing "terrible."

"I feel so awful for our kids and kids around the country," the SMU head coach said on Tuesday, via ESPN. "There's no other sport at all that has free agency in the season. It's sad. It's terrible. You hear the story about their backup quarterback saying, 'I don't have a choice.' That's wrong. That's unacceptable. That's not OK. He shouldn't have to make that decision.'"

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"The real easy thing is you don't have a transfer portal in December. That's the real easy answer, and it solves all the problems," Lashlee added. "Why in the world would we put kids in a position where they've got to decide, ‘Do I transfer or play in the playoff? Do I transfer or play my bowl game?…' People are bombarding our roster, trying to pick people off our roster, and we're trying to focus on the playoff. So yeah, it's real easy – don't have a transfer portal in December. Go to the spring."

Lashlee, who defended NIL money and transferring, finds himself in a similar scenario with his backup quarterback in Preston Stone, admitting it's a "juggling act" at the moment. Stone entered the portal last week, but will stay with the team through their playoff run.

The Mustangs will head to Happy Valley for a noon contest on Saturday, with the winner facing third-seeded Boise State and Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty.

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SMU came back from down 17 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough.

Clemson knocked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to earn a 34-31 victory in the ACC title game, earning an automatic bid into the College Football Playoff.

The Tigers were ranked 17th in the nation, so at least one team inside the top-12 is going to get the boot from the playoff.

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SMU, ranked 8th in the nation entering the title game, now may just be on the outside looking in.

The Ponies' fate is in the hands of the CFP committee, but if Dabo Swinney were on it, his decision would be clear.

"That's a playoff team. SMU, they better be in that dang playoff," he told ESPN on the field after the game. 

"There's no way they shouldn't be in these playoffs."

Swinney and Rhett Lashlee shared a long embrace at midfield upon the winning field goal going through the posts, and it's hard to imagine Swinney did not share those sentiments with the SMU head coach.

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SMU tied the game with 16 seconds left after a 16-play drive, but Adam Randall returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to their own 45. Cade Klubnik then found Antonio Williams for 17 yards, and the Tigers called a timeout, bringing out Nolan Hauser, who drilled the 56-yarder with plenty to spare.

Clemson and Arizona State will be in contention for the final bye into the quarterfinals – the Sun Devils walloped Iowa State in the Big 12 championship on Saturday afternoon.

Of course, the committee decided to move to 12 teams in order for there to be more room for error; given the controversy of leaving out Florida State last year, who would have thought this would still be difficult?

The entire field will be announced on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.

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When actor Timothée Chalamet was selected by ESPN to be the special guest picker for "College GameDay" on Saturday, fans were puzzled as the "Dune" star had no clear ties to college football.

However, the Hollywood A-list actor impressed the panel and, more importantly, the fans with his seemingly expert analysis.  

"I’m going Jackson State, eight wins in a row, 11 all-conference players, this should be a comfortable, easy win for them," Chalamet said in his first pick.

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Chalamet impressed the hosts of the show with his research. 

"He said I only got six games, I’m bringing the heat on all six," co-host Kirk Herbstreit said. 

When picking the Clemson-SMU ACC Championship game, the "Wonka" star referenced SMU’s Pony Express, which was one of the greatest running attacks in college football history with Eric Dickerson and Craig James. 

"Kevin Jennings is a legitimate Heisman contender next year, in my humble opinion. I’m pulling for SMU, it smells like the 1980s folks," Chalamet said. 

When it came to picking the SEC Championship game between Texas and Georgia, Chalamet made his choice with a friend in mind. 

"You know it’s hard to beat the same team twice. Adjustments are made, it’s like a game of chess. Coach Saban knows this better than anyone on this dais. Listen, I’m going with my movie-dad (Matthew) McConaughey here. I’m sorry to everyone here, this is a Longhorn’s victory, hook’em horns," Chalamet said. 

Chalamet played McConaughey's son in "Interstellar," and McConaughey is known to be a massive Texas fan. 

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Here are all of Chalamet’s picks:

Fans were impressed with Chalamet’s knowledge and research, and took to social media to praise him.

"I’ve never been more wrong about anything in my life than I was about Timothée Chalamet’s college football knowledge. I’m speechless. This guy knows ball," one user wrote on X.

"Timothée Chalamet being a real deal college football fan, being a SMU fan, and knowing about all these teams was so crazy to me. I thought (he) just got invited cause (he is) famous, but he was a legit great guest picker on College Gameday," another X user posted.

FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager made sure to acknowledge Chalamet’s reference to the Pony Express.

"Timothee Chalamet came prepared, researched, and referenced the Pony Express. Maybe the best College Gameday guest picker yet. NYC guy. Respect," Schrager wrote on X. 

"College GameDay" was in Atlanta, Georgia, covering the SEC Championship game between Texas and Georgia that begins at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Chalamet is starring in a Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown," which comes out on Dec. 25. Dylan himself approved the film, and Chalamet is singing some of Dylan's classics in the movie. 

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SMU football team will be traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina with reinforcements for Saturday night’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship game against Clemson. But not everyone is onboard with the latest roster addition. 

SMU announced earlier this week that the team mascot, Peruna, will make the journey with the team to support the Mustangs as they try to remain perfect through conference play and secure a spot in the newly expanded College Football Playoffs.

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But People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) fired off a letter to SMU President R. Gerald Turner on Friday urging the university "to cancel the senseless stunt and put an end to the school’s archaic tradition of having a live mascot." 

"Ponies are prey animals whose instinct is to panic and flee from startling noises, yet SMU plans to parade this pony like a toy in front of a stadium full of screaming fans, noisemakers, and a band," PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a statement. 

"PETA is urging SMU to consider Peruna IX’s perspective, cancel this appearance, and leave ponies in peace by ending the school’s live mascot program."

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In a post on X, PETA said "ponies are living individuals, NOT props for your championship game," adding that exposing the animal to the packed crowd at Bank of America Stadium is "cruel & senseless." 

Despite the protest, Peruna IX will be in Charlotte on Saturday night.  

Peruna IX, a colt, has been the SMU mascot since 2011. SMU’s first live mascot appeared in 1932 and, for the first 60 years or so, Peruna would charge the field after every SMU touchdown. Now Peruna leads the team onto the field and runs between quarters. 

Saturday’s ACC title game kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.

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Usually, schools and fans wait until the College Football Playoff is officially set before hurling criticism and scrutiny toward the selection committee, but that did not happen Tuesday night.

Iowa State Cyclones athletics director Jamie Pollard and SMU Mustangs athletics director Rick Hart got into a tiff on social media following the penultimate rankings release. 

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The Mustangs will vie for an ACC Championship with an 11-1 record and a nine-game winning streak, while the Cyclones (10-2) will compete for a Big 12 title with a win likely being their only shot at making the College Football Playoff.

That did not appear to sit well with Pollard.

"Disappointing that strength of schedule clearly does not matter for SMU, Indiana and Boise State. Message is clear - win as many games as possible regardless of who you play," Pollard wrote on X. "Time to rethink non-conference scheduling. Very different standards than the basketball committee."

Iowa State was not among the 12 teams in the playoff in Tuesday's rankings. SMU was ranked third.

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Hart fired back at Pollard.

"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!" he wrote on X.

Pollard fired back.

"Rick, beat Clemson Saturday and I will respect your ranking," Pollard wrote. "Until then you did not play Clemson, Miami, Georgia Tech or Syracuse AND lost to BYU at home. Looks like your lawn may be artificial."

Hart added the school "will continue to control what we can control."

A lot is riding on the conference championship games to determine the final seeding. 

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