Baylor AD Mack Rhoades named new chairman of College Football Playoff selection committee

The College Football Playoff has a new captain after the CFP Management Committee appointed Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades as the 2025 selection committee chairman in a release Tuesday.

Rhoades replaces Michigan AD Warde Manuel in that role, where he will be the face of the selection committee throughout the 2025 college football season.

“I am truly honored to be asked to serve as chair of the selection committee,” Rhoades said in a statement released by the CFP. “It was a privilege to join such a dedicated group of individuals last year, and I look forward to continuing that work again this fall. Each and every member of the committee is passionate about college football and focused on ensuring the integrity and excellence of the playoff process.”

Rhoades will be joined on the CFP Selection Committee by five new additions after former Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio, Maryland AD Damon Evans, Middle Tennessee State AD Chris Massaro, former Ole Miss All-American tight end Wesley Walls, and former On3 and ESPN sportswriter Ivan Maisel were also named to the 13-member group.

The new members begin three-year terms and replace Manuel, Chet Gladchuk, Jim Grobe, Will Shields and Kelly Whiteside, whose terms expired. The release also announced former Missouri head football coach Gary Pinkel has also stepped away due to other commitments after just one year on the committee. CFP executive director Rich Clark also announced longtime USA TODAY writer Steve Wieberg, a former College Football Playoff Selection Committee member from 2014-17, will return for a one-year term.

“The additions of Mark, Damon, Ivan, Chris and Wesley will bring some great new voices to the selection committee as we enter our 12th season,” Clark said in a statement. “Each of them has tremendous knowledge, passion and dedication to college football, along with outstanding character and integrity. Their skills and wide variety of experiences—from coaches and athletes to university leaders and journalists—will ensure that they will transition in with our returning members successfully. We also appreciate Steve returning for the upcoming season. His understanding and wisdom from his previous term will be a real benefit to the group.

“Finally, we are pleased that Mack will serve as chair,” Clark added. “He was an outstanding member of the committee last year, and his demeanor and personality will serve him well in leading the group.”

The College Football Playoff selection committee is responsible for the weekly Top 25 rankings as well as the final Playoff rankings that ultimately determines the Top 12 participants to the playoff bracket.

The other returning selection committee members are longtime former Nevada coach and AD Chris Ault, former Arizona State offensive lineman Randall McDaniel, former Oregon State and Nebraska head coach Mike Riley, current Miami of Ohio AD David Sayler, current Virginia AD Carla Williams, and current Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek.