You are overlooking the public service you gumps would do for the P5. Go look on their forums. They really still believe they could hang with the playoff contenders. Thats mostly our (LSU) fault for not executing in red zone and leaving about 35pts off the board.
I think Penn State in 2016 would have done well in the playoff. I doubted Trace McSorley every throw he made against USC and somehow his receivers kept coming down with the ball until he threw that pick at the end.
It's my opinion this notion of UCF "being give a chance" defines the two sides of the discussion on who's in and who's out. Two camps, as I see it. Those in favor of inclusion and those in favor of excellence. USC doesn't offer the latter, so I dub you an "inclusionist." I'm wondering if you got in your students stash...seriously. I'm wondering how on earth you are thinking they should be included when they just lost to LSU who, for god's sake, was playing wide receivers at corner and still defended them well. Damn, tiga...it's basically UCF 1's versus LSU's 2's and 3's and they (LSU D) proved they don't belong.
The big game was an excellent example of a team beating an opponent, LSU was bitch slapped for 60 min. The field goal game (or lack of) is an excellent example of a team winning but not beating the opponent. Bama beat themselves because of Saban's infuriating inability to find a fg kicker.