Archie Manning taking leave from College Football Playoff committee

Archie Manning is taking a leave of absence from the College Football Playoff committee for health reasons and will not be part of the group for the 2014 season, committee executive director Bill Hancock announced Monday.

According to a news release, Manning needs surgery next month and will be unable to travel to meetings.

"It is an honor to serve on this committee, and I enjoy the group and was looking forward to the opportunity ahead," Manning said in a statement. "My health had to be my primary concern and I intend to be up and about as soon as possible."

With the first set of top 25 rankings coming on Oct. 28, the committee announced it will move forward with 12 members for this season.

The other members besides Manning: Barry Alvarez, Mike Gould, Pat Haden, Tom Jernstedt, Oliver Luck, Tom Osborne, Dan Radakovich, Condoleezza Rice, Mike Tranghese, Steve Wieberg and Tyrone Willingham.

Tranghese will take Manning's spot to work with Luck on the Mountain West and Wieberg will join Jernstedt in evaluating the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Associated Press reported.

"We will miss Archie," Hancock said in a statement. "He has such a great knowledge of college football and history with the game, but we all understand his reason for taking a leave. I wish him all the best and look forward to his return in 2015."

The committee will select the participants for the four-team playoff on Dec. 7.