Former Michigan State HC Mark Dantonio Among 5 New CFP Committee Members

Former Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio is joining the College Football Playoff selection committee for the 2025 season.

Per ESPN's Heather Dinich, Dantonio will be one of the five new members on the 13-person committee this fall. Along with Dantonio, Maryland athletic director Damon Evans, former ESPN college football reporter Ivan Maisel, Middle Tennessee State athletic director Chris Massaro and former Ole Miss All-America tight end Wesley Walls will be apart of the group.

According to Dinich, the committee will also bring back former USA Today sportswriter Steve Wieberg for a one-year term to replace Gary Pinkel, who will step down due to other commitments. Wieberg previously served on the committee from 2014 to 2017.

"The additions of Mark, Damon, Ivan, Chris and Wesley will bring some great new voices to the selection committee as we enter our 12th season," CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a statement. "Each of them has tremendous knowledge, passion and dedication to college football, along with outstanding character and integrity. Their skills and wide variety of experiences -- from coaches and athletes to university leaders and journalists -- will ensure that they will transition in with our returning members successfully. We also appreciate Steve returning for the upcoming season. His understanding and wisdom from his previous term will be a real benefit to the group."

Dantonio was Michigan State's defensive backs coach from 1995 to 2000 before joining Ohio State's staff as a defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2003. He got his first head coach gig at Cincinnati and was with the Bearcats until he took over at Michigan State.

Across 13 seasons with the Spartans, Dantonio went 132-74, winning three conference titles and reaching the CFP in 2015. He retired as Michigan State's head coach in 2020, but rejoined the team as an associate head coach for the 2023 season.

Dantonio was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and Michigan State's Ring of Honor last year.

Dantonio and the other new members will replace Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk, former Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe, former Nebraska offensive lineman and NFL Hall of Famer Will Shields and former sportswriter Kelly Whiteside following the expiration of their terms.

The new members will serve a three-term from 2025 to the end of the 2027 season.