College Football Playoff announces temporary departure; committee to operate with 12 members this fall
The College Football Playoff announced today that Selection Committee member Randall McDaniel will temporarily step away from his role for the 2025-26 season due to personal reasons. McDaniel is expected to rejoin the committee for the 2026-27 season.
CFP Executive Director Rich Clark confirmed the news as the football season gets underway. With McDaniel’s departure, the selection committee will operate with 12 members instead of the standard 13 this fall. His seat will remain vacant for the upcoming year.
Committee to Continue with Reduced Membership
This marks the fourth time in the CFP’s 12-year history that the selection committee has functioned with fewer than 13 members. The temporary reduction is not expected to impact the committee’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities.
The CFP selection committee is tasked with ranking the nation’s top 25 teams and assigning the 12 playoff-eligible teams to the bracket. The committee will convene in person beginning November 3-4 and will release weekly rankings leading up to the final selections on December 7.
How the 12-Team Playoff Works
Under the current playoff format, the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams earn spots in the 12-team bracket.
The four highest-ranked teams receive first-round byes. While teams seeded No. 5 through No. 12 compete in the CFP First Round, with higher seeds hosting home games.
The Playoff Quarterfinals and Semifinals rotate annually among six prestigious bowl games: the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential, and the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
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- Washington Stages Dramatic Fourth-Quarter Rally to Stun Maryland 24-20 in College Park
Championship Game Set for Miami
The College Football Playoff National Championship is scheduled for Monday, January 19, 2026. It will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
McDaniel’s temporary absence comes at a pivotal time as the expanded 12-team playoff format enters its second season. Bringing increased scrutiny to the selection committee’s rankings and decisions.
For more information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com.
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