I said "we" referring to AllBuffs people agreeing about the fact that 3 teams from the Big 10 wont go.
The biggest dispute here is Wisconsin and Penn State. I evaluate Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Colorado on a game by game basis and do not give any credence to when the game was played. If you look at just the rankings of the wins and losses.... it is clear that:
IF CLEMSON AND WASHINGTON LOSE....
the top 4 should be:
Alabama
Ohio State
Michigan
Colorado
Wisconsin has an argument.... but PSU's resume is short of everyone on that list....
"WE" should be in the playoff if we win and Va Tech wins....
At least you're clear on your criteria.
I disagree about the importance of "when". USC and Stanford are much more respectable to me given their win streaks, for example. Louisville is the opposite in my mind since I see them as a September anomaly until teams caught up to what they were doing.