Condoleezza Rice To Join NCAA Football Playoff Selection Committee
NEW YORK (AP/CBS Detroit) —Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will soon help determine if your favorite team will compete for an NCAA National Championship.
What's that? Yes, Rice, the piano-playing former right hand woman of George W. Bush is expected to be part of the selection committee that will pick the teams for the College Football Playoff next year, a person with direct knowledge of the process told The Associated Press.
Starting in the 2014 season, college football will adapt a four-team playoff series to determine a national champion, evolving from the controversial BSC National Championship consisting of the two top-ranked teams. The committee will determine which four teams will vie for the national title.
Though she has never worked in college athletics, Rice has made no secret of being a sports fan — college and pro. She frequently attends Stanford athletic events and meets with many of the athletes, including football players being recruited by the school. She's also been a volunteer coach for the golf team.
The 58-year-old Rice is now a professor of political economy at Stanford's Graduate School of Business.
The names of several candidates have already been reported, including Southern California athletic director Pat Haden, Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, West Virginia athletic director Olive Luck and Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long.
Earlier Friday, ESPN.com reported that former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese was also expected to join the football committee.
The person also said Friday that retired Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, the former Air Force Academy superintendent, and former NCAA executive Tom Jernstedt, who worked with the basketball tournament selection committee, are expected to be part of the new 12-to-18 member football panel.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the selection process is still ongoing.
The committee is expected to be comprised of current athletic directors and former college athletic administrators and coaches. BCS executive director Bill Hancock declined to confirm the names.
"The process is not finished," Hancock said. "And we're in a very good place. When it is finished, we will announce the names of the members."
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AP Sports Writer Antonio Gonzalez in San Francisco contributed.
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