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To drive conversation, controversy, and... ideally... ratings for the sport. 

So ... convention then 😎

A better question in my mind is why does the committee's poll extend out to 25 teams? Why isn't it just a Top 10? Or 4/6/8?

To let the fringe teams know their position -- but even then, why extend it this far?

Convention?

To give us a better sense of what they weigh in their evaluations?

Well, one of the criteria for where a team is ranked is top 25 wins.  In 2014, Minnesota snuck into the committee’s final top 25 and Oklahoma fell out.  So, all of a sudden Baylor and TCU lost a top 25 win and Ohio St gained one (it ended up being a push for TCU because they had beaten Minny too but that isn’t the point).  So in that regard it matters.  It also has a bearing on which G5 team gets a NY6 bowl since the highest ranked gets the nod.


But, yeah, controversy, ratings, and all that stuff play a part too.

Well, one of the criteria for where a team is ranked is top 25 wins.  In 2014, Minnesota snuck into the committee’s final top 25 and Oklahoma fell out.  So, all of a sudden Baylor and TCU lost a top 25 win and Ohio St gained one (it ended up being a push for TCU because they had beaten Minny too but that isn’t the point).  So in that regard it matters.  It also has a bearing on which G5 team gets a NY6 bowl since the highest ranked gets the nod.


But, yeah, controversy, ratings, and all that stuff play a part too.

You're right. I was ignoring that they might insist on their own standard for that.

Wouldn't the most likely (yet severely unlikely) spit NC now simply be each P5 conference producing an undefeated champion?  One of them gets left out, spanks someone in their bowl, and finishes the year 14-0 with a big-boy schedule. 

I think five 1-loss P5 Champs is a lot more likely than five undefeated P5 Champs.  I also think that one or two undefeated P5 Champs (who then lose in their CFP semi-finals) and the rest with 1-loss is more likely.  

I'm only saying that because, IIRC, the power conferences have never all had an undefeated champion in the same year and it is obviously a lot less likely now that all of them would have to win a CG after an undefeated regular season.  Thus, I think the likelihood of all of them producing undefeated champs is less than remote.  

Here is a scenario that is reasonably plausible that would definitely get us close but I still don't think would do it:

Suppose that in 2019 the highest ranked teams from the ACC, SEC, and B12 each finish as champs with one loss while the preseason highest ranked teams from the B1G and PAC and Notre Dame each finish undefeated.  Ie:

• #1 Clemson wins the ACC at 12-1
• #2 Bama wins the SEC at 12-1
• #4 OU wins the B12 at 12-1
• #5 tOSU wins the B1G at 13-0
• #9 Notre Dame goes 12-0
• #12 Washington wins the PAC at 13-0

The final CFP rankings would likely be:

• 13-0 Ohio State
• 12-0 Notre Dame
• 13-0 Washington
• 12-1 Clemson
• 12-1 Bama
• 12-1 Oklahoma

Then lets say that Clemson squeaks past tOSU in the semi-final and squeaks past the ND/UW winner in the CFPCG and meanwhile Bama just obliterates Oklahoma in another bowl.  

Well, one of the criteria for where a team is ranked is top 25 wins.  In 2014, Minnesota snuck into the committee’s final top 25 and Oklahoma fell out.  So, all of a sudden Baylor and TCU lost a top 25 win and Ohio St gained one (it ended up being a push for TCU because they had beaten Minny too but that isn’t the point).  So in that regard it matters.  It also has a bearing on which G5 team gets a NY6 bowl since the highest ranked gets the nod.


But, yeah, controversy, ratings, and all that stuff play a part too.

even if the committee has stated that top 25 wins is one of their important criteria, doesn't mean they need to let us know their top 25.  And we all know that their stated criteria goes out the window in the final vote.

Such as conference champ

Using the committee to decide the NY6 bowls seems silly to me.  But, I guess allowing the bowls to decide seems possibly unfair and biased.

I agree, just seems that the committee should focus on the top 6 with an explanation as to why 5 and or 6 wasn't in the top 4

What would be interesting is if the committee would have a team 5-6 places different than the AP poll down around 20 for example - then let the public know why they think the AP is crazy for their ranking of said team

stir things up a bit

even if the committee has stated that top 25 wins is one of their important criteria, doesn't mean they need to let us know their top 25.  And we all know that their stated criteria goes out the window in the final vote.

Such as conference champ

Using the committee to decide the NY6 bowls seems silly to me.  But, I guess allowing the bowls to decide seems possibly unfair and biased.

Yeah, they don’t have to tell us their whole top 25 but I think there would be an outcry for it if they didn’t.  Especially if they talk about TEAM A having more top 25 wins or quality wins than TEAM B.  I think there would be a natural inclination to want to know the rest of the top 25.

I also disagree that they throw their criteria out the window.  The committee has never said that being a conference champion was a requirement.  They’ve only said they would get extra consideration.