The first iteration of the College Football Playoff rankings were released Nov. 5 for the 2024 season.

Per usual, there wasn’t a huge difference from the AP Top 25 rankings, and the CFP numbers won’t truly matter for another month and change. But it’s always fun to look into the future and anticipate the best part of the college football season—especially this year, when fans will enjoy a 12-team playoff for the first time.

The expansion of the playoff means more fans than ever will be paying rapt attention to who the College Football Playoff cCommittee determines to be worthy to battle for the sport’s highest honor of a national championship. Many such fans might be new to the whole concept, given it hasn’t been that long since the BCS reigned supreme and a 12-team playoff means a school without a strong history of success on the football field could squeak into the bracket.

The most obvious question, of course: who exactly is in charge of making the rankings? Who is on the College Football Playoff Committee?

Before answering such a pivotal question, let’s take a step back and explain what the CFP Committee really is.

The College Football Playoff Committee was formed when the College Football Playoff format was introduced in 2014. Its purpose is to rank the teams deemed most worthy to participate in the CFP. There are 13 members of the committee who are tasked with ranking those potential participants. Using a small committee to make those decisions marked a big change from the BCS era, which used computer formulas and Top 25 polls to make the call.

In short, the CFP Committee’s only job is to use the information at hand to pick the best teams in the country to compete in the CFP. Up to the 2024 season, only four teams were admitted. Starting in 2024, 12 teams are admitted, which makes the committee’s job more about seeding everybody appropriately instead of having to make tough choices between the fourth and fifth-best teams in the nation.

Now for the relevant topic: who, exactly is on the committee? Who has been charged with deciding the fate of 12 elite college football programs/

The short version is that it’s largely a collection of current and former authority figures in the college football realm. The committee is made up of men and women who have served as athletic directors and/or head coaches, and a smattering of other professions as well, including a former player and a professor of sports journalism. It’s an eclectic bunch that suggests the NCAA wants to bring a variety of informed opinions to the table.

Here’s the full list of the committee members for the 2024 season.

Finally, the last piece of information you need to enjoy the CFP season: a full schedule of the release dates for the rankings that come out over the course of the 2024 season.

Enjoy!