Following Mack Rhoades’ leave of absence as Baylor’s athletic director, he also stepped down from the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.
In response, the Big 12 is advocating for Utah athletic director Mark Harlan to fill the vacancy, per Ross Dellenger.
“Harlan had an abbreviated tenure on the committee of one year in 2023, Utah’s last year in the Pac-12 before moving to the Big 12,” Dellenger said via X.
That said, the CFP Selection Committee has yet to announce who will take over as committee chair.
Before joining the Utes, Harlan served as the Director of Athletics with the University of South Florida from 2014-18.
Utah’s football program has enjoyed consistent success in recent years, posting just one losing season since 2014. This year, Kyle Whittingham’s squad is once again near the top of the Big 12, currently boasting a 7–2 record.
The CFP Selection Committee is now down to 11 members, after previously working with 13. The reduction comes at a crucial moment, with the college football regular season set to wrap up in just a few weeks.
Harlan’s potential addition would bring another Big 12 representative to the committee, as the current 12-team Playoff format enters its second season.
With championship races tightening across the country, the committee’s makeup and leadership could play a meaningful role in the weeks ahead.
