Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro will represent the Mountain West Conference on the College Football Playoff Board of Managers.
The board is the key power in the administration of the playoff system of the most dynamic and popular sport in college athletics.
“I am pleased to represent the Mountain West Conference on the College Football Playoff Board of Managers,” Castro said in a Fresno State news release. “I look forward to working with the other university presidents on the board to ensure that the College Football Playoff functions effectively.”
Added Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff: “We are grateful to have President Castro join the group. He is an engaging leader and a forward-thinker, and he will be a great addition.”
The board governs College Football Playoff business, property and affairs. The board develops, reviews and approves annual budgets, policies and operating guidelines. It has authority over all aspects of the company’s (CFP Administration, LLC) operations.
Castro is one of 11 university presidents on the board, which represents the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences and Notre Dame. The Mountain West was previously represented by Dr. Tony Frank, the former president of the Colorado State University campus in Fort Collins, who now serves as chancellor for the Colorado State University system.
The board is chaired by Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State. The other board members are:
- Joseph I. Castro, president, Fresno State (Mountain West)
- Eric Barron, president, Penn State (Big Ten)
- Rodney Bennett, president, Southern Mississippi (Conference USA)
- Greg Fenves, president, Texas (Big 12)
- Jack Hawkins, president, Troy (Sun Belt)
- Rev. John Jenkins, president, Notre Dame (independent)
- Kirk Schulz, president, Washington State (Pac 12)
- John Thrasher, president, Florida State (ACC)
- Satish Tripahi, president, Buffalo (Mid-American Conference)
- R. Gerald Turner, president, Southern Methodist (American Athletic Conference)
The College Football Playoff matches the top four national seeds at the end of the season in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual.
This season’s playoff semifinals will be Dec. 28 at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Jan. 13 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Last season, Clemson defeated Alabama 44-16 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in the national championship.
Fresno State under third year coach Jeff Tedford opens the football season on Aug. 31 at USC. The Bulldogs’ home opener is Sept. 7 against Minnesota.
Fresno State was picked in the preseason media poll to win the West Division of the Mountain West Conference. The Bulldogs are 22-6 under Tedford.
