While we’re still at least a couple of months away from the unveiling of one of the two most critical factors in the new system to determine a national champion in football, one piece of one part of the puzzle has apparently already been identified.
According to Jeremy Fowler of CBSSports.com, West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck is expected to be part of the selection committee that will determine the four teams that will be part of the new College Football Playoff, which will be implemented following the 2014 regular season. Luck has been named as a potential replacement for DeLoss Dodds at Texas, although the father of Andrew Luck has denied he has or will have interest in that AD opening.
Fowler added that a well-placed ACC source told him that Clemson AD Dan Radakovich is “the leader in the clubhouse” for another spot.
No one connected to the playoff, including executive director Bill Hancock, will comment on rumored candidates until the entire group is named, which could be as soon as early December.
The selection committee is expected to consist of 12-18 members, including current athletic directors from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC. Also expected to be included on the committee are former administrators, ex-head coaches and, perhaps, a member or members of the media.
Hancock has been vetting potential candidates from a pool of “candidates” that climbed to more than 100.
The other key factor still to be determined is how the selection committee, once it’s in place, will determine the four teams who will take part in the playoff. It’s unclear when that system will be announced, but it’s highly unlikely to happen prior to the announcement of the committee.