The CFP Selection Committee gathered in Nashville this week for their first session of the 2026-27 season. The Committee's three new members - Gus Malzahn, Jeff Tedford and Bryan Maggard - all joined and received an introduction to the process, protocol and expectations for serving on what has become one of the most important committees in collegiate athletics.

"Two legendary coaches have joined the CFP Selection Committee in Gus Malzahn and Jeff Tedford, both who really stood out because of their experiences," said Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP. "They both are highly accomplished and extremely knowledgable about the game, and they bring tremedous credibility to the committee. Bryan Maggard from Louisiana also joins the committee as a sitting athletic director, who comes in with a great reputation and a deep football knowledge that will benefit the process. All three complement the selection committee in a really great way, and they already showed that in this first orientation meeting because they're eager and excited to get started."

The trio joins a distinguished roster of Super Bowl champions, Pro Bowlers, Hall of Famers, Athletics Directors and Coaches who comprise the team.

"This is an incredibly accomplished group of people, but what stands out is the humility they bring to the table," Clark said. "They're willing to share their expertise while also listening to their peers and that's what makes this process work. People leave their titles at the door. It doeesn't matter where they come from; they're all united in the same task of ranking the best teams in college football. And this group is absolutely up to the task."

A big part of the conversation centered on something fans and media talk about every fall: how the committee does its job.

It's worth taking a closer look, because the process behind those weekly rankings is more involved than it might appear from the outside. The work is rigorous and the debate that follows is part of what makes college football so much fun to follow.

That human element is the heart of it. You need real experts in a room, weighing everything that goes into a season, to arrive at a collective decision. No single algorithm or metric can replicate that.

So what tools, resources and tech do selection committee members actually have access to? Quite a lot, as it turns out.

They watch coaches' film, which lets them get through a full game in 30 to 40 minutes — no commercials, just football. They dig into a wide range of analytics, which the CFP reviews and updates each year to make sure the data being looked at is the data that actually correlates with winning. And they receive weekly reports from the conferences with context and information from outside the games themselves. Add in the conversation and debate that happens around the table, and the selection committee has a pretty complete picture to work from.

"This is a room full of experts and professionals in their own right," Clark said. "They all come at the game from different perspectives, but they all share a love and knowledge of the game. Their preparation each week is a very involved process, but they're all up to it and are incredibly passionate about the sport. We're excited about their work this season.""

Over its first 12 years, the CFP has continually strived to refine its systems, processes and analytics while working closely with the FBS conferences to ensure the CFP Selection Committee has the tools and systems it needs.

It's worth remembering that the rankings ultimately come down to a vote by 13 individual selection committee members. Not one metric. Not one data point. Thirteen people doing their homework and making a call together. It's a complex task, and there isn't always a tidy answer to every question about it.

The CFP knows the job asks a lot of its selection committee, which is why so much effort goes into making its work efficient and giving members the best tools possible. This work strengthens the process, and ensures there's real confidence in the systems guiding one of the most consequential decisions in college sports.