College Football Playoff Committee Chosen

October 16, 2013
By: O. J. Cunningham

The College Football Playoff officially unveiled the first selection committee that will select teams to participate in new postseason format, which will go into effect starting next season - January 2015 Bowl Games.

Selection committee members are given the freedom to use "whatever data they believe is relevant" when selecting the playoff's four participating teams, a removal from the BCS' use of computer rankings and human polls.

The committee tentatively plans to release four or five rankings of 25 teams beginning in the middle of each season starting in 2014. But while Hancock stressed transparency with the committee, he did say the committee will not release individual ballots.

The 13-member committee will be comprised of the following individuals:

Jeff Long, vice chancellor and director of athletics, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville (chair)

Barry Alvarez, director of athletics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lieutenant General Mike Gould, former superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy

Pat Haden, director of athletics, University of Southern California

Tom Jernstedt, former NCAA executive vice president

Oliver Luck, director of athletics, West Virginia University

Archie Manning, former University of Mississippi quarterback and all-pro NFL quarterback

Tom Osborne, former head coach and director of athletics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Dan Radakovich, director of athletics, Clemson University

Condoleezza Rice, Stanford University professor and former USA Secretary of State

Mike Tranghese, former commissioner of the Big East Conference

Steve Wieberg, former college football reporter, USA Today

Tyrone Willingham, former head coach of three FBS institutions

College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement that the finalized committee has the pedigree to adequately serve college football.