If I were the comittee, I would vote Alabama #1, Oregon #2, FSU#3 and OSU #4. The seperation factor for me is that all four of these teams won there conference championship game, an extra game and risk that the Big 10, ACC, PAC 10, and SEC champions all did and the Big 12 did not. Becaused the Big 12 can't seem to decide if they have co-champions or just one champion and the fact that they both had one not good conference loss, the SOS is what tells me the two Big 12 teams should be left out. They have a weaker non-conference schedule and SOS than OSU and OSU was down to there 3rd string QB and they creamed the #13 team in the country. For me if they do not leave TCU in than OSU should vault them, for me the loss that Baylor had to West Viriginia and the time of year they lost to them keeps them out. That leaves it to TCU and OSU and you could make an equal case for both. The fact that Baylor beat TCU at home by 3 and that Oklahoma the supposed #3 or #4 team in that conference lost to a bad Oklahoma State team tells me that the Big 12 was weak and that that drops them from final four consideration in the end, and Michigan State is likely secure in getting a final or selction 6 bowl game. I say Ohio State deserves the final bid over TCU and Baylor, there win over Wisconsin is more impressive than wins over Iowa State and Kansas State. I know this is subjective buy OSU stopping Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon the way they did with 71 rushing yards, one of the Heisman finalist, and the fact that the conference the Big 12 cannot decide the conference champion. The Ohio State defense stopping Gordon and Wisconsin having the #2 ranked defense and giving up 52 points, tells me that Ohio State is one of the final four teams contending for the championship at the end of the day.
The odd thing is that the BCS, for all the carping, did pick a consensus top two every year. Eight teams would mean using up six bowls, four teams only two - and those two games could be played back to back on a Saturday two weeks from now, before the bowls really get going. They could use any venue but would not be counted as bowls. But whether four, eight or sixteen, there will always be teams left out and arguing their case.
As a Gopher fan we want TCU to stay in front of Ohio State, that OSU not getting in the final four likely helps our bowl selection situation. I don't see a scenario where OSU plays in Sugar bowl against Alabama, and Orange bowl picks Michigan State that helps us. If we were fortunate enough to not have Michigan State get picked for the Orange bowl and OSU gets in that is best case but the likelihood that Orange bowl is going to take Michigan State seems to be very strong from all of the predictions and media types. I don't want to see the Gophers play in foster farms bowl in San Francisco or Music City bowl In Nashville in those scenarios we will be getting really hosed by the bowl selection comittees. I can definitely see Music City bowl not wanting us there because we have been in that bowl so much.
I think FSU not making the playoff after going 13-0 would be embarrassing for the sport.
TCU's only loss by 3 on the road to a top-ranked team in a game they dominated for 3 quarters then took foot off the gas and let a 21-point 4th quarter lead get away. Hard not to use head-to-head, but I think the committee views it that way and says Baylor's loss was far, far worse.