Former Oregon State and Nebraska coach Mike Riley has been appointed to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock announced Friday. Riley is set to replace the departing Pat Chun, who recently stepped down from his post after he was hired as Washington’s athletic director.
Every power conference is guaranteed an athletic director slot on the selection committee, but the Pac-12 lost its auto-bid status following the latest wave of conference realignment and playoff expansion. Washington’s move to the Big Ten and the presence of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, who represents the Big Ten on the CFP Selection Committee, made Chun’s spot redundant. That opened the door for Riley, who’s joining as an at-large committee member.
“We are pleased to have Mike join the committee,” Hancock said. “He has significant experience as a player and coach, and he loves college football. He will bring a unique perspective to the committee. Plus, he is a delightful human being.”
After four years as a defensive back at Alabama, Riley began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at California in 1975. From 1993-96, he was the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at USC.
Riley was brought on for his first stint as Oregon State’s head coach from 1997-98 and left for the same position with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers in 1999. He returned to Oregon State in 2003 and spent over a decade with the Beavers, amassing a combined record of 93-80 with a 6-2 showing in bowl games. Riley left for Nebraska in 2015 and went 19-19 in three years with the Cornhuskers.
He did lead Nebraska to a 9-4 record in 2016 capped by an appearance in the Music City Bowl; this still stands as Nebraska’s most recent season with a winning record.
