Mack Rhoades investigation, explained: Why Baylor AD is stepping down from role as CFP committee chair

Mack Rhoades investigation, explained: Why Baylor AD is stepping down from role as CFP committee chair originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Baylor athletic director Mike Rhoades is taking a leave of absence from both his duties for the Bears and as the College Football Playoff selection committee’s chairman for “personal reasons,” according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.

Rhoades reportedly initiated the leave from Baylor. With him stepping away from the CFP committee, it is now at 11 members for 2025, down from its usual 13, per Dellenger.

Last week, an Outkick report detailed that Rhoades was the center of a Baylor investigation into “an alleged verbal and physical altercation with a football player and assistant coach.” However, according to Dellenger, Rhoades’ leave of absence is related to new allegations, not the prior school investigation or any “direct interaction with a Baylor athlete.”

Here’s what’s known about Baylor’s athletic director and the CFP selection committee’s 2025 chairman taking a leave of absence.

Why is Mack Rhoades stepping down as CFP committee chair?

It is currently unknown why Rhoades is taking a leave of absence from both Baylor and his duties as the CFP selection committee’s chairman, outside of the fact that Baylor was “made aware of allegations” about Rhoades and is now investigating them, per Ross Dellenger.

Rhoades initiated a leave of absence for “personal reasons,” Dellenger reported. The leave began on Nov. 12.

According to Dellenger, the allegations against Rhoades “do not involve Title IX or any direct interaction with a Baylor athlete,” and they are not related to a separate investigation by Baylor into a Sept. 20 football game, which is when Outkick reported that the athletic director had gotten into an alleged verbal and physical altercation with a player and assistant coach.

Additionally, according to Outkick, the new allegations against Rhoades “do not involve Title IX, student welfare or NCAA rules.”

While Rhoades is reportedly under investigation by Baylor during his leave, all that’s known about the new investigation is that it isn’t related to the former school investigation for the alleged incidents with a player and coach.

“Baylor Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades is on a leave of absence for personal reasons, effective November 12,” Baylor said in a statement, per On3‘s Pete Nakos. “The University will decline to comment further at this time.”

After taking his leave from Baylor, Rhoades then also stepped down from the College Football Playoff selection committee on Thursday, per Dellenger. That left the committee at 11 members instead of its usual 13, as member Randall McDaniel also stepped away for personal reasons in October.

According to Dellenger, the Big 12 recommended Utah AD Mark Harlan to replace Mack Rhoades on the CFP selection committee on Thursday. Additionally, Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek has been nominated as the committee’s new chairman. The nomination has to be authorized by the CFP governing boards.

Rhoades has been Baylor’s athletic director since 2016.

Who is the new CFP committee chair?

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek has been nominated as the CFP selection committee’s new chairman, according to Ross Dellenger, but that nomination still needs to be authorized by the CFP governing boards.

Additionally, according to Dellenger, Utah athletic director Mark Harlan was recommended by the Big 12 to replace Rhoades on the CFP selection committee.

With Rhoades and McDaniel on leave, there are currently 11 members on the 2025 CFP committee, who are as follows:

Committee Member

Other Roles

Chris Ault

Former Nevada head coach

Troy Dannen

Athletic Director at Nebraska

Mark Dantonio

Former Cincinnati, Michigan State head coach

Jeff Long

Consultant with ISE and Trenchcoat Advisors, former CFP committee chairman, former athletic director

Ivan Maisel

Sportswriter

Chris Massaro

Athletic Director at Middle Tennessee State University

Mike Riley

Former head coach at Oregon State, Nebraska, other leagues

David Sayler

Athletic Director at Miami (Ohio) University

Wesley Walls

Former All-American tight end at the University of Mississippi, College Football Hall of Famer

Carla Williams

Athletic Director at University of Virginia

Hunter Yurachek

Vice Chancellor and Athletic Director at the University of Arkansas

Mack Rhoades investigation, explained

According to Ross Dellenger, the investigation from Baylor that resulted in Rhoades’ leave of absence was not related to a prior school investigation into Rhoades for an incident involving tight end Michael Trigg and an unnamed Bears assistant coach on Sept. 20, before a home loss to Arizona State.

According to Outkick, Rhoades was previously the subject of a Baylor investigation for allegedly confronting Trigg over the type of undershirt that Trigg was wearing against Arizona State pregame. Then, after the game, Rhoades allegedly “proceeded to verbally accost” an assistant coach in front of other staff members and family members.

Baylor confirmed an investigation had been completed into the alleged incidents with Rhoades in Outkick’s report.

“More than a month ago, Baylor University received reports of an incident involving Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades,” the statement to OutKick read. “These reports were thoroughly reviewed and investigated in accordance with University policies, appropriate actions were taken, and the matter is now closed. Mr. Rhoades has expressed regret over his emotions and recognizes his conduct at that moment was not reflective of our Christian mission and values.”

“Mr. Rhoades is an important part of our Baylor Family, and we look forward to his continued leadership of our Athletics Department. We remain committed to ensuring a respectful and accountable environment for all of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.”

Six days after Outkick’s report about Rhoades’ alleged incidents with the player and assistant coach was released, the athletic director took his leave of absence for “new allegations that were presented to the school on November 10th,” per Outkick.

The outlet also reported that the new allegations do not involve Title IX, student welfare, NCAA rules, or the football program.

Who is Michael Trigg?

Michael Trigg is a senior tight end at Baylor University, joining the team in 2024 as a transfer from Ole Miss. He’s led the team in receiving throughout the 2025 season.

Outkick reported that on Sept. 20, Trigg was preparing for a game against Arizona State, wearing a “long-sleeved yellow shirt that was being used to cover a brace he was wearing on his shoulder.” Athletic director Mack Rhoades allegedly approached Trigg and put his hands on him, criticizing him for the shirt he was wearing, according to Outkick. The incident reportedly happened just before the game began.

An investigation into Rhoades’ interaction with Trigg, along with his postgame interactions with assistant coaches, was launched by Baylor afterward, per Outkick.

Mack Rhoades leave of absence from Baylor

Athletic director Mack Rhoades took a leave of absence from Baylor on Nov. 12, according to Yahoo Sports. Rhoades also then reportedly stepped down from his role as the College Football Playoff committee’s chairman.

Rhoades’ leave of absence comes as Baylor is conducting “an internal investigation” into allegations against Rhoades, which are unrelated to a previous investigation about an alleged confrontation Rhoades had with a Baylor football player and assistant coaches on Sept. 20, per Yahoo.

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