Key Highlights
- Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek named chair of the 2025 College Football Playoff Selection Committee.
- Mack Rhoades stepped down from his role for personal reasons.
- Mark Harlan, U. of Utah’s athletics director, returns to the CFP Selection Committee.
New Leadership on College Football Playoff Selection Committee
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee has announced significant changes to its leadership structure for the 2025 season. Hunter Yurachek, currently the Athletics Director at the University of Arkansas, will take over as chair of the CFP Selection Committee, effective immediately. This move comes after Mack Rhoades, who had been serving in this role during the current football season, informed the committee that he would step down for personal reasons.
Yurachek’s Leadership
Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP, expressed gratitude towards Rhoades and acknowledged Yurachek’s appointment. “We are deeply appreciative of Mack Rhoades’ leadership and service as Chair of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee this season,” Clark stated. “Mack has informed us of his decision to step down for personal reasons, and our thoughts are with him and his family during this time. We are pleased to announce that Hunter Yurachek will assume the role of Selection Committee Chair, effective immediately.” Yurachek’s experience, integrity, and commitment to college football make him well-suited for the position.
Harlan’s Return
In addition to Yurachek’s new role, Mark Harlan, athletics director at the University of Utah since 2018, has been appointed to the CFP Selection Committee. Harlan previously served a one-year term during the 2023 season and is returning to this important committee. According to Clark, “Mark Harlan brings valuable experience and insight to our committee with his extensive background in athletics administration.” Prior to his current role at Utah, Harlan worked as director of athletics at the University of South Florida for five years.
Background on Mark Harlan
During his tenure at the University of Utah, Harlan has overseen numerous successes. Utah has won five national championships and 32 conference championships under his leadership, with 24 of those coming in just four years. In the most recent season (2024-25), six teams from the university qualified for NCAA championship postseason competition.
Notably, football’s back-to-back Pac-12 championships and Rose Bowl berths in 2022 and 2023 have been highlighted as significant achievements.
Harlan has also earned recognition for his leadership. Following the 2022-23 academic year, he was named Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. His career in athletics administration spans over three decades, including influential roles on various committees and a significant presence at UCLA, the University of Arizona (twice), San Jose State, and the University of Northern Colorado before his move to Utah.
CFP Selection Committee Responsibilities
The CFP Selection Committee’s responsibilities are critical in determining which teams will compete for the national championship. The committee is responsible for ranking the top 25 teams at the end of the regular season and then assigning the 12 teams to the playoff bracket based on this final ranking. The committee meets in-person beginning in early November, producing a weekly ranking leading up to its final selections.
The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship will be held on Monday, January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. For more information and updates, fans can visit the official website of the College Football Playoff.
