College Football Playoff Picks Las Vegas Host Committee for January 2027 Championship

Posted on: December 10, 2025, 11:20h. 

Last updated on: December 10, 2025, 11:38h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Las Vegas hosts the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2027
  • A host committee consisting of 12 local leaders has been formed

Unlike the 2025 College Football Playoff bracket, in which Notre Dame’s absence in favor of two Group of Five teams caused an uproar, there were no surprises with Tuesday’s announcement of the 2027 Las Vegas CFP Host Committee.

College Football Playoff Las Vegas 2027
The 2027 College Football Playoff National Championship Host Committee in Las Vegas is set. The 12 individuals will help organize all local aspects of the January 2027 college football title game. (Image: Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority)

Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium will host the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Jan. 25, 2027. On Tuesday, the formation of the CFP Las Vegas Host Committee was revealed, with names well familiar in Southern Nevada occupying the 12-person panel.

The co-chairs are Sandra Douglas Morgan, the president of the Las Vegas Raiders, who previously chaired the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). Morgan was on the board of Caesars Entertainment when the Raiders’ billionaire owner Mark Davis brought her on in July 2022.

Morgan’s co-chair is Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson, a Las Vegas native who previously served as the mayor of Henderson. Michael Naft, another county commissioner, will serve as a committee member.

Casino Links

The Las Vegas Strip will play an integral role in the destination’s hosting of the 2027 college football title game. Strip casinos will run a series of integrations with the big college game and, as such, have a prominent standing on the host committee.

MGM Resorts, the largest resort operator on S. Las Vegas Blvd., will be represented by Gary Fritz, the company’s chief commercial officer and president of MGM Digital. Caesars also has a host committee seat with Chief Commercial Officer Sean McBurney. Host committee member Carlos Castro, the president and chief financial officer of Resorts World, will ensure that CFP events extend north up the Strip.

Nevada Resort Association President Virginia Valentine, Raiders Senior VP & General Counsel Justin Carley, and Allegiant Stadium General Manager Andy Gorchov are also on the planning committee.

The remaining seats are occupied by local leaders who commonly step up to serve on special events committees.

They include Steve Hill, chair of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. Applied Analysis and R&R Partners, two firms often contracted by the LVCVA for research and marketing, are sending Jeremy Aguero (principal analyst) and Rob Dondero (executive vice president) to the host committee. 

Committee Responsibilities 

The 2027 CFP National Championship Host Committee will guide preparations for college football’s premier game in Las Vegas. The committee will oversee local planning, operations, hospitality, legacy initiatives, and community engagement efforts surrounding the championship.

The 2025 CFP will conclude next month on January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

As for this playoff, FanDuel has Ohio State as the betting favorite at +220. The Buckeyes are followed by Indiana (+290), Georgia (+550), Oregon (+750), Texas Tech (+900), Texas A&M (+1700), Alabama (+2200), Miami (+2200), Ole Miss (+2200), Oklahoma (+4000), and Tulane (+7500). James Madison, the 12th seed, is not listed on either FanDuel or DraftKings.