Badger of Honor
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Barry Alvarez removed from College Football Playoff committee

By Trevor Jossart

Sep 10, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez enters Camp Randall Stadium before the Badgers play the Akron Zips. Wisconsin defeated Akron 54-10. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez enters Camp Randall Stadium before the Badgers play the Akron Zips. Wisconsin defeated Akron 54-10. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ohio State Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith will take over Alvarez’s spot in the CFP committee.

Wisconsin Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez will no longer serve on the College Football Playoff committee, effective this upcoming season.

Alvarez has been a part of the committee since its inaugural year in the year 2014, and will be replaced by Ohio State Buckeyes’ AD Gene Smith. Alvarez is one of three members whose term with the committee has expired. The CFP chair and Alvarez have not decided to renew any possible extension. During Alvarez’s short tenure on the board, only three conferences- Big Ten, ACC, and SEC have had representation in every playoff so far.

What does this mean?

For Badgers fans, it was nice having an extra leg up on the committee, although bias will never be admitted, and with the Badgers coming off a season in which they reached their highest college football playoff ranking ever, they sure could use the extra advocation in the upcoming seasons with expectations being as high as ever. Although college football rules indicate that any member with financial ties to a university will recuse their vote when it comes to that particular team, it is hard to believe having a member in there ever week for every discussion does not have some sort of influence on the surrounding party.

Taking Alvarez’s spot, Smith will now be in a position where he will see his beloved Buckeyes in conversation likely every season he is on the committee. He has been the athletic director at Ohio State since 2005, right around the same time Alvarez accepted his administrative role with the University of Wisconsin.

Both Smith and Alvarez hold the two longest tenures in the Big Ten Conference at this position. Smith has also served time on the NCAA Basketball committee and was a part of the Chair for several years.