re: The answer is an 8 team playoff set up this way

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One of my biggest gripes with the system is the idea that Ohio State was better off losing their division after they beat Michigan. If PSU goes out there and loses to Michigan State, Ohio State would have faced Wisconsin in what likely would have been a play-in game for the 4th playoff spot. Instead, by losing their division, they didn't have to risk their CFP fate by playing for the conference title.

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While I don't disagree, and this certainly is a playing the result answer, this was only so because they made it.

But none of us were certain they had made it so even though losing their division seemingly helped in the long run, we simply didn't know at the time, and I think that matters.

I guess my main point is, they lost the ability to control their own destiny, as much as one team can in a system where technically no team controls their own destiny.