Can a one-loss Big 12 team reach the College Football Playoff?

I’ve been writing about the New York Times’ way of looking at College Football Playoff rankings. Quit thinking about teams and think about slots, what the Times calls “buckets.” For instance, in the SEC, both Alabama and Florida are 9-1. Both won’t make the four-team bracket. But if either wins out, and finishes 12-1, that team will make it. So what does it matter where we would rank Bama or Florida this week? A one-loss SEC team is what should be ranked. Another example, last week, the 10th-ranked “bucket” was a one-loss non-champion SEC team. But LSU lost last week, eliminating the possibility of such an animal. Stanford and Utah lost, too, eliminating the possibility of a one-loss Pac-12 champion. When those buckets are eliminated, other buckets move up. So using the New York Times method, here’s a good way to project the rankings as we await the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night: Unbeaten Big Ten champ: The Buckeyes finish with Michigan State and Michigan. …

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