Blah blah blah: yes the season isn't over. I am not worked up, but rather fascinated by the different scenarios that could work out. I know we think its a no-brainer that a one loss Big 12 champ should get in, but it's not very certain.
It's going to be tough for the Big 12 to get a team in the playoffs this year without some big breaks/upsets (and no this isn't a poor KSU thing, or SEC conspiracy thing). It's very likely that its 2 SEC teams (assuming the below scenarios play out) + FSU (even with one loss) + X at this point.
The X is going to be a tough fight between:
Notre Dame/One loss Pac 12 Champ/One loss Big Ten Champ/One loss Big 12 Champ
The more of the above that can be eliminated, obviously the better!
I know its dumb, but the lack of a championship game is going to hurt when comparisons are made. One could argue in good faith that any one-loss Power 5 conference champ should be in.
The following get two SEC teams (without much controversy) in I think:
An SEC West team goes undefeated, but leaves an SEC West team with 1 loss
An SEC West team wins the division with 1 loss, but leaves other SEC West team with 1 loss
Georgia wins the SEC champ game and Ole Miss/Miss State/Auburn/Alabama have only one loss
The following MIGHT get two SEC team:
Undefeated/one loss SEC West team beats one loss (at the time) UGA in a close SEC champ game (gets both SEC West winner and UGA in)
The following MIGHT get three SEC teams in:
Undefeated Miss State loses to two loss UGA in SEC champ game, Auburn/Ole Miss remains with one loss
One loss Ole Miss wins SEC Champ game, Auburn AND Miss State remain with one loss (here Ole Miss beats [at the time] undefeated Miss State in Egg Bowl, Auburn wins out). This could also be Auburn winning the SEC Champ game, I don't know how the tie-breaker would work out.