[OutsiderFan]

I will assume the CFP committee isn't foolish enough to jump Florida 8 spots for barely beating a mediocre LSU.
At least we are well past the idea of two SEC teams in the playoff.  The real issue is the possibility of two Big Ten teams. 

It is funny that Wisconsin got all kinds of credit for beating a mediocre LSU team that I don't think the committee will have in its the Top 25 this week, but Stanford now doesn't seemingly get much credit for beating Under Stanford Control (again).  And Under Stanford Control (again) is better than LSU ever was. 

The real issue this season is that the Big 12 absolutely sucks, yet Ohio State lives off that Oklahoma beat down, and the fact there are some terrible Big Ten teams like Maryland and Rutgers.  But the reality is also that Ohio State struggled against Wisconsin, Penn State, and Michigan State.  Michigan can certainly help the committee quite a lot by beating Ohio State, but with its QB issues, that seems to be a tall order.

The playoff committee faces a very bad situation.  Because it's only four teams in, they have to leave a conference winner champion out.  That means they open themselves up to picking the best four teams.  And, they say winning the conference championship is the most important criteria.  Well, look at this mess:

- They have Ohio State in the Top 4, even though if Penn State wins this weekend, PSU can win the conference and Ohio State can't, and Penn State lost to Pitt OOC and Ohio State beat Oklahoma

- Under Stanford Control (again) has three losses and very well might have claim to beating both Pac-12 division champions, and are different team now than when they started another QB in losses against Stanford and Alabama

- Oklahoma plays in a terrible conference, and how could they pick Oklahoma over Ohio State after Ohio State clobbered Oklahoma head-to-head?

- Washington may play the whole season having beat one team currently ranked in the Top 25, and lost to the only one it played in the regular season

- Colorado will have beaten three teams ranked in the Top 25 if it wins out, which is more than Clemson

- Even Houston... has two losses when they had injuries, but also knocked off two Top 10 teams when they played them in Oklahoma and Louisville

Again, for the love of all creatures great and small, expand the playoff to 8 teams, take all five Power 5 conference champions, and then three at large teams; on Group of 5 if ranked in Top 12.  Let's assume Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Penn State, Colorado and Oklahoma win out.  That would equate to something like:

1. Alabama (SEC)
2. Ohio State (at large)
3. Clemson (ACC)
4. U$C (at-large)
5. Penn State (Big Ten)
6. Colorado (Pac-12)
7. Oklahoma (Big 12)
8. Western Michigan (Group of 5)

This seems imminently reasonable because it allows who is playing the best to be rewarded more than simply the W-L record.  Of course, Stanford would have made an 8-team playoff in 2015.  The Pac-12 is unfairly punished by:

1. East Coast bias

2. The fact it plays 9 conference games [ACC and SEC play 8] against more historically tougher teams than any other conference

[OutsiderFan]

I will assume the CFP committee isn't foolish enough to jump Florida 8 spots for barely beating a mediocre LSU.
At least we are well past the idea of two SEC teams in the playoff.  The real issue is the possibility of two Big Ten teams. 

It is funny that Wisconsin got all kinds of credit for beating a mediocre LSU team that I don't think the committee will have in its the Top 25 this week, but Stanford now doesn't seemingly get much credit for beating Under Stanford Control (again).  And Under Stanford Control (again) is better than LSU ever was. 

The real issue this season is that the Big 12 absolutely sucks, yet Ohio State lives off that Oklahoma beat down, and the fact there are some terrible Big Ten teams like Maryland and Rutgers.  But the reality is also that Ohio State struggled against Wisconsin, Penn State, and Michigan State.  Michigan can certainly help the committee quite a lot by beating Ohio State, but with its QB issues, that seems to be a tall order.

The playoff committee faces a very bad situation.  Because it's only four teams in, they have to leave a conference winner champion out.  That means they open themselves up to picking the best four teams.  And, they say winning the conference championship is the most important criteria.  Well, look at this mess:

- They have Ohio State in the Top 4, even though if Penn State wins this weekend, PSU can win the conference and Ohio State can't, and Penn State lost to Pitt OOC and Ohio State beat Oklahoma

- Under Stanford Control (again) has three losses and very well might have claim to beating both Pac-12 division champions, and are different team now than when they started another QB in losses against Stanford and Alabama

- Oklahoma plays in a terrible conference, and how could they pick Oklahoma over Ohio State after Ohio State clobbered Oklahoma head-to-head?

- Washington may play the whole season having beat one team currently ranked in the Top 25, and lost to the only one it played in the regular season

- Colorado will have beaten three teams ranked in the Top 25 if it wins out, which is more than Clemson

- Even Houston... has two losses when they had injuries, but also knocked off two Top 10 teams when they played them in Oklahoma and Louisville

Again, for the love of all creatures great and small, expand the playoff to 8 teams, take all five Power 5 conference champions, and then three at large teams; on Group of 5 if ranked in Top 12.  Let's assume Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Penn State, Colorado and Oklahoma win out.  That would equate to something like:

1. Alabama (SEC)
2. Ohio State (at large)
3. Clemson (ACC)
4. U$C (at-large)
5. Penn State (Big Ten)
6. Colorado (Pac-12)
7. Oklahoma (Big 12)
8. Western Michigan (Group of 5)

This seems imminently reasonable because it allows who is playing the best to be rewarded more than simply the W-L record.  Of course, Stanford would have made an 8-team playoff in 2015.  The Pac-12 is unfairly punished by:

1. East Coast bias

2. The fact it plays 9 conference games [ACC and SEC play 8] against more historically tougher teams than any other conference