Baylor AD Mack Rhoades Named CFP Committee Chair

WACO, Texas -- Baylor Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack B. Rhoades IV will serve as the chairman of the 2025 College Football Playoff Selection Committee, it was announced by the CFP on Tuesday. 

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

Rhoades will be in his second year of a three-year term on the CFP selection committee after playing a role in the selection of the first 12-team field in CFP history in 2024.

In his eighth year leading Baylor’s athletics program, Rhoades will replace Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel, who served as the chairman in 2024. Previously N.C. State’s Boo Corrigan chaired the committee for two seasons.

“I am thankful to serve be selected by the conference commissioners and the CFP to serve in this role,” Rhoades said. “I’ve said this over and over since last year – but this is really a ‘we’ appointment and speaks to the great respect Baylor University has nationally. I am grateful to be surrounded by such an elite group of coaches and staff that allow me to serve college football in this role.”

A two-time and consecutive honoree as the nation's athletics director of the year, Rhoades took over the Baylor Athletics program in July of 2016. He was named the 2019-20 Under Armour AD of the Year by the National Associate of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the 2021 AD of the Year by the Sports Business Journal.

Rhoades took over the Baylor program after serving in the same role at Missouri (2015-16), Houston (2009-15) and Akron (2006-09). He got his start in collegiate athletics at Yale (1996), Marquette (1997-98) and spent seven years as the Executive Senior Associate AD at UTEP (1998-06).

Rhoades has helped direct the Bears to 24 Big 12 Championships and eight national titles, has hired three football coaches that have led their teams to New Year’s Six bowl games, and saw the Bears win the 2021 NCAA men’s basketball title. He has led the Bears throughout the last eight years with a vision of “Preparing Champions for Life” through a student-athlete experience that includes academic achievement, athletic success, character formation and spiritual growth. His leadership has seen the Bears revamp the campus athletics footprint, including the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion, a $212.6 million dollar basketball facility on the banks of the Brazos River and most recently the opening of the Fudge Family Football Development Center, which houses the BU football program.

Joining Rhoades on the CFP selection committee in 2025 include newcomers Mark Dantonio, former Cincinnati and Michigan State head coach, Damon Evans, athletics director at Maryland, Ivan Maisel, college football sportswriter, Chris Massaro, athletics director at Middle Tennessee and Wesley Walls, a former All-American at Ole Miss. Former USA Today writer and previously a member of the selection committee, Steve Wieberg, is also rejoining the group on a one-year term.

Returning committee members include former Nevada head coach and athletics director Chris Ault, former Arizona State All-American Randall McDaniel, former Oregon State and Nebraska head coach Mike Riley, Miami (Ohio) athletics director David Sayler, Virginia athletics director Carla Williams and Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek.