So the groups of teams we have are:
champs:
B10 champ Oregon is legit, having beaten OSU, PSU, and Boise. Strong outcomes, strong tests.
SEC champ Georgia has 2 losses to good teams, and beat playoff team Texas twice. 2 losses, but difficult schedule
XII champ ASU has 2 losses to unranked teams, but is on a 6-game win streak (which is important, I'm told, but idk why).
ACC champ Clemson has 3 losses, including being whipped by UGA. Just had their first win over a ranked opp.
MWC champ Boise has 1 loss to #1 Oregon. Crap schedule - best wins are @ UNLV and vs UNLV. Yawn.
.
non-champs
Team with good record, but haven't beaten anyone of note: Indiana (lost only strong challenge)
Teams with good record, but had a bad loss: Notre Dame, OSU
2-loss teams with weak schedule and lost to only good teams they played: Texas, Penn St
2-loss team with at least a decent schedule and good loss: Tennessee
--------------consensus line of demarcation (11 teams above are "in")-------------
2-loss teams from weak ACC: SMU, Miami
2-loss team from weak XII: BYU (beat SMU, but lost 2 of last 3 (like Miami) - if win streaks matter, doesn't this?)
3-loss teams with a high ceiling (beat a playoff team): Bama, Miss, USCe
Syracuse is somewhere between these last 2 groups (win vs Miami)
3-loss teams with nothing to boast about: Mizzou, Illinois, ISU, CU
