I was just trying to propose a scenario where OSU would get considered. It takes some doing.
The Cincy-ND linkage is fascinating to me, I agree a UC loss kills their chances, but then does it kill ND's as well? Or do they pretend the game never happened?
Would an 11-2 Bama get in over 11-1 ND? Maybe. The mayhem of this general sort would increase pressure for a larger playoff I think, but then you'd have a bunch of two loss teams one could argue don't deserve it, and the NY6 bowls would be irrelevant.
Imagine this mayhem with an 9 or 12 team playoff. You'd probably have Ole Miss in the mix, and Baylor of course, and Oregon.