Yurachek third Razorback to be involved in CFP process

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek now gets a turn as the Razorbacks’ representative on the College Football Playoff selection committee. CFP executive director Bill Hancock made the announcement Thursday.

Yurachek is now the third Razorback named to the committee. Former athletics director Jeff Long was the first chairman back when it started in 2014. Former player and coach Ken Hatfield was next. The Hogs have always been a part of the selection process and haven’t had to be excused while the members discussed Arkansas getting in.

Yurachek will serve on the 13-person committee for the next three football seasons, beginning with the expanded 12-team CFP playoff set to debut following the 2024 regular season. Michigan athletics director Warde Manuel will serve as selection committee chair for the 2024 season.

He is one of six new members appointed to the CFP Selection Committee. Patrick Chun, athletics director at Washington State, Randall McDaniel, former All-American defensive lineman from Arizona State, Gary Pinkel, longtime head coach at Toledo and Missouri, Mack Rhodes, athletics director at Baylor and Carla Williams, athletics director at Virginia were also appointed to serve on the committee beginning in the 2024 season. The new members will begin three-year terms starting this spring. They will replace Mitch Barnhart, Boo Corrigan, Mark Harlan, Gene Taylor and Joe West, whose terms have expired.

Sam Pittman, Hunter Yurachek (Andy Hodges / HitThatLine.com)

“The additions of Pat, Randall, Gary, Mack, Carla and Hunter will bring some great new voices to the selection committee as we enter our 11th season,” Hancock said in a statement. “Their knowledge, passion and character, along with their understanding of college football, will allow them to make the transition seamlessly with the returning members.”

The selection committee selects the 12 teams in the playoff and assigning them to the playoff bracket, as well as ranking the other top 25 teams. The committee meets in-person beginning late in the football season and produces a ranking of the top 25 teams each week leading up to its final selections.

Returning members of the CFP Selection Committee include: Chris Ault, longtime coach and athletics director at the University of Nevada; Chet Gladchuk, athletics director at the U.S. Naval Academy; Jim Grobe, longtime coach at Ohio University, Wake Forest and Baylor; Manuel; David Sayler, athletics director at Miami University (OH); Will Shields, former All-American at Nebraska; and Kelly Whiteside, longtime sportswriter for USA Today, Sports Illustrated and Newsday.

Yurachek has previously served in a number of NCAA and conference leadership roles. Yurachek was named to the NCAA Football Oversight Committee, a role he has held since 2021, after previously serving on the Football Competition Committee. He is the only conference athletics director currently serving on the SEC Executive Committee, which approves the annual operating budget and oversees all financial and fiscal affairs of the conference.

Prior to coming to Arkansas, Yurachek served as director of athletics at both Coastal Carolina University and the University of Houston. Yurachek has also held various athletics administration leadership positions at the University of Akron, University of Virginia, Western Carolina University, Vanderbilt University and Wake Forest University.