There's your NC. Everyone else is playing catch-up. A little tongue in cheek, but I don't have much sympathy for anyone with a loss, especially when there's an undefeated major conference team.
I don't have a problem with a team with a loss getting into the playoffs. There have been many championship teams in history who have a hiccup along the way, but then learn from it, gel, and improve from that loss and become the best team in the country. You could argue that about Bama this year.
Here's the deal. And I admit my memory is bad, but I can't recall, ever, there were more that two teams that were at odds for National Champion, when there were College Poll, Coaches Poll, whatever. Or the computer. There may have been two different teams mentioned, but I don't recall ever seeing three different teams at the top, or never four different teams topping the various polls. I just don't think it is that hard to select the top one or two, much less four. I am sure someone with more time than I do will prove me wrong. But not many times, if any! I would like to see 8, for the football value, but I don't think you really need 8, or 6, and probably not even four most years, to decide the playoff teams.
Yeah because they tell you who's best when play on the field could very like show something different. 8 seems the most you'd need.
