Football
Recently retired coach Gus Malzahn, who won a national title in 2010 as Auburn‘s offensive coordinator, will join former Cal head coach Jeff Tedford on the College Football Playoff selection committee this spring, the CFP announced Monday.
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek will return as the committee chair for the second season, and Louisiana athletic director Bryan Maggard will also join the group. The three new committee members will serve three-year terms and replace outgoing members Chris Ault, a former head coach, Jeff Long, a former longtime collegiate administrator, and Miami (Ohio) athletic director David Sayler, whose terms have expired.
“The additions of Bryan Maggard, Gus Malzahn and Jeff Tedford will introduce strong, fresh perspectives to the selection committee as we enter our 13th season,” CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a prepared statement. “Each brings a deep understanding of the game, a genuine passion for college football and a commitment to integrity and excellence. Their diverse backgrounds as university leaders, recent coaches and former student-athletes will complement our returning members and allow for a seamless transition.”
Malzahn, who had a 35-year coaching career and developed a reputation for his offensive philosophy, retired in February from his job as Florida State‘s offensive coordinator. He spent 13 years as a head coach at Arkansas State (2012), Auburn (2013-20) and UCF (2021-24), posting a career record of 105-62.
His résumé includes a national championship, a second national championship game appearance, three conference championships and eight conference championship game appearances.
Before entering collegiate coaching, Malzahn was a high school head coach in Arkansas for 14 seasons. His overall record of 144-36-1 included three state championships. Malzahn was inducted into the Arkansas High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 and is the only coach to earn 100 wins as an FBS head coach and as a high school head coach.
Tedford served as the head coach at Cal (2002-12) and Fresno State (2017-19 and 2022-23), compiling a career record of 127-79. At Cal, Tedford engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history, leading a team that had won just one game to consistent bowl appearances, national rankings and a share of the 2006 conference title. He remains the Golden Bears’ winningest coach with an 82-57 record, while guiding the team to eight bowl games.
Malzahn and Tedford will join former coaches Mark Dantonio and Mike Riley on the committee. It’s not unusual for the group to have four former coaches in the room — it has happened on multiple committees dating back to 2015, when Barry Alvarez, Bobby Johnson, Tom Osborne and Tyrone Willingham were members. Because the group also includes sitting athletic directors, former players, journalists and college administrators, there have never been more than that. The 2024 committee also had four former head coaches (Ault, Jim Grobe, Gary Pinkel and Riley), but last year there were three (Dantonio, Riley and Ault).
Maggard is in his ninth year as athletic director at Louisiana and will be the sixth sitting athletic director on the committee and the second representative from the Group of 6, along with Chris Massaro from Middle Tennessee State (Conference USA). Maggard has led the Ragin’ Cajuns to one of their most successful eras, including 20 Sun Belt Conference titles and 23 trips to the NCAA postseason. In 2024, Maggard was appointed to the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee.
Maggard received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in health and physical education, both from Kansas State. He received a Ph.D. in Educational and Counseling Psychology from Missouri.
Returning 2026 selection committee members include: Troy Dannen (athletic director, University of Nebraska), Dantonio (former head coach, University of Cincinnati and Michigan State), Mark Harlan (athletic director, University of Utah), Ivan Maisel (former sportswriter for The Atlanta Constitution, Sports Illustrated, the Dallas Morning News, Newsday, ESPN and On3), Massaro (athletic director, Middle Tennessee State), Randall McDaniel (former All-American offensive lineman, Arizona State University), Riley (former head coach, Oregon State University and the University Nebraska), Wesley Walls (former All-American tight end from Ole Miss), Carla Williams (athletic director, University of Virginia) and Yurachek.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return as chair of the selection committee,” Yurachek said in a statement. “It was an honor to work alongside such a committed group last year, and I’m excited to continue building on that momentum this fall. Every member of this committee shares a deep passion for college football and a strong commitment to upholding the integrity and excellence of the playoff process.”
Read More Heather Dinich