The decision to move to the SEC has reportedly cost Texas a seat on the College Football Playoff selection committee.

That’s according to Kellis Robinett of Kansas.com, who is reporting that Texas AD Chris Del Conte will be replaced by Kansas State AD Gene Taylor on the CFP selection committee. According to Robinett, this decision was done to eliminate any conflicts of interest with Texas moving to the SEC.

The insinuation appears to be that the Big 12 is worried Del Conte may vote in favor of the Longhorn’s next conference (the SEC) over its current league in a critical College Football Playoff vote. Who knows, Del Conte could have even voted against a Big 12 team depending on how ugly his program’s divorce with the league turns in the weeks and months to come.

Reading between the lines a bit, this news would seem to suggest the Big 12 anticipates Texas leaving the league sooner than July 1, 2025. That may be the current length of Texas and Oklahoma’s contractual obligations to the league but would they really be pushing for a change here if both programs were set to remain in the league for years to come?

In case you were wondering, here are the other members of the current College Football Playoff selection committee:

  • Mitch Barnhart (athletics director, University of Kentucky)
  • Gary Barta (athletics director, University of Iowa)
  • Paola Boivin (professor, Arizona State University)
  • Tom Burman (athletics director, University of Wyoming)
  • Charlie Cobb (athletics director, Georgia State University)
  • Boo Corrigan (athletics director, North Carolina State University)
  • Rick George (athletics director, University of Colorado)
  • Will Shields (former All-American offensive lineman, University of Nebraska)
  • Joe Taylor (Vice President for Athletics and Community Wellness, Virginia Union University)
  • Rod West (group president Entergy Corporation)
  • John Urschel (former All-American offensive lineman, Penn State University)
  • Tyrone Willingham (former Notre Dame and Washington coach)