[BostonCard]

This table shows who has gotten into the playoffs and who has not for each year in its existence:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_...ns_by_year

A few things we have seen:
* Every undefeated P5 (plus Notre Dame) team has gotten into the playoffs.  Such teams are 9 for 9.
* Conference champions that are 12-1 are 12 for 13.  The only exception to date was Ohio State, and that was in a year where three teams (Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame) were undefeated, so tOSU was vying with 12-1 Oklahoma for the last spot.
* Conference champions that are 11-1 are one for three; with all P5 conferences having a conference championship, this situation shouldn't happen again.  The two that didn't make it were Baylor and TCU in 2014/15, a year where FSU was 13-0, and three P5 conference champion teams were 12-1.
* Non-conference champion teams with one loss are two for five (tOSU in 2016/17 and Alabama in 2017/18 both got in).  Interestingly both are non-conference champion teams who didn't make their conference championship (these teams are two for three) rather than teams who lost in their conference championship (Iowa in 2015/16 and Wisconsin in 2017/18).  In both cases, these 11-1 teams got in over two two-loss conference champions (Penn State and Oklahoma in 2016/17, Ohio State and USC in 2017/18).
* No team with two losses has ever made the playoffs.  Conference champions with two losses who have missed out are oh-for-six, including Stanford in 2015/16.

Things you have not yet seen:
A 1-loss conference champion being left out in favor of a team that did not win its conference.
A 2-loss team being included.
A G5 team being included

Based on the above, you would expect the following priorities:
1. Undefeated P5 (plus Notre Dame) teams
2. 1-loss conference champions (left out only if all conference champions have 1 or 0 losses)
3. 1-loss teams that did not in their conferences (seems more likely to get in if you don't make a conference championship than if you lose in it); has only happened in years where there are three or fewer 1-loss conference champions
4. 2-loss conference champions (has never happened)

BC

[BostonCard]

This table shows who has gotten into the playoffs and who has not for each year in its existence:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_...ns_by_year

A few things we have seen:
* Every undefeated P5 (plus Notre Dame) team has gotten into the playoffs.  Such teams are 9 for 9.
* Conference champions that are 12-1 are 12 for 13.  The only exception to date was Ohio State, and that was in a year where three teams (Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame) were undefeated, so tOSU was vying with 12-1 Oklahoma for the last spot.
* Conference champions that are 11-1 are one for three; with all P5 conferences having a conference championship, this situation shouldn't happen again.  The two that didn't make it were Baylor and TCU in 2014/15, a year where FSU was 13-0, and three P5 conference champion teams were 12-1.
* Non-conference champion teams with one loss are two for five (tOSU in 2016/17 and Alabama in 2017/18 both got in).  Interestingly both are non-conference champion teams who didn't make their conference championship (these teams are two for three) rather than teams who lost in their conference championship (Iowa in 2015/16 and Wisconsin in 2017/18).  In both cases, these 11-1 teams got in over two two-loss conference champions (Penn State and Oklahoma in 2016/17, Ohio State and USC in 2017/18).
* No team with two losses has ever made the playoffs.  Conference champions with two losses who have missed out are oh-for-six, including Stanford in 2015/16.

Things you have not yet seen:
A 1-loss conference champion being left out in favor of a team that did not win its conference.
A 2-loss team being included.
A G5 team being included

Based on the above, you would expect the following priorities:
1. Undefeated P5 (plus Notre Dame) teams
2. 1-loss conference champions (left out only if all conference champions have 1 or 0 losses)
3. 1-loss teams that did not in their conferences (seems more likely to get in if you don't make a conference championship than if you lose in it); has only happened in years where there are three or fewer 1-loss conference champions
4. 2-loss conference champions (has never happened)

BC