Conference USA, a southern collegiate athletic division, has enlisted Brener, Zwikel & Associates of Los Angeles to make the case for Marshall University's selection in the first College Football Playoff.

herdThe new CFP system will include the top 25 NCAA Division I football schools to determine a champion from four playoff teams, which will be selected by a 13-member selection committee. That group will announce its first of seven top-25 rankings on Oct. 28.

BZ&A specializes in sports PR and is let by Steve Brener and Toby Zwikel, former PR execs for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The firm has worked for the College Football Awards Show, US Tennis Assn., the NFL, and Rose Bowl, among other clients.

Brener told Fox Sports that his firm was engaged by the conference earlier this month to heighten visibility and awareness of the Marshall football program, "their success and the players on the Marshall team."

The West Virginia-based Marshall Thundering Herd is 7-0 to top Conference USA and takes on the middling Florida Atlantic Owls on Oct. 25.

Gina Lehe heads communications for the Dallas-based College Football Playoff as senior director of comms. and brand management.