It was included as a possibility to appease egos but will rarely if ever happen. The thinking of many fans, and even some conference leaders (see Big 12), was and is still clouded by the old media driven system.

The current system is designed, more than anything else, to reward conference champions. If a couple of 8 or 9 win teams emerge as P 5 champs, then the door is open. And the ONLY time the selection committee considers its most important factor, is the very last vote.

I laugh when media says, "if the playoff was held today..." as if it is somehow relevant. It is right there with "if a frog had wings..."