TCU got in last year after losing their conference title game. Georgia loses theirs and they choose Alabama. They had to take Texas because they beat Bama.
I don't know if there are any conspiracies or not but things sure do seem to be dumbfounded when humans are involved in the choice.
Picks are made by record, then schedule, then players and then who draws the most on the media and in the stands. FSU was left out because of injuries to their star QB, poor schedule, and poor ratings.
If you think 12 is going to stop the controversy you are wrong. All 12 is going to do is make SEC teams happy and Big 10 teams happy.
Look at what we could have had:
FIRST ROUND
No. 12
Liberty at No. 5
Florida State
No. 9
Missouri at No. 8
Oregon
No. 11
Ole Miss at No. 6
Georgia
No. 10
Penn State at No. 7
Ohio State
QUARTERFINALS
Liberty-Florida State winner at No. 4
Alabama
Missouri-Oregon winner at No. 1
Michigan
Ole Miss-Georgia winner at No. 3
Texas
Penn State-Ohio State winner at No. 2
Washington
That means SEC would be happy and Big 10 would be happy.
4 - SEC
3 - BIG 10
2 - PAC
1 - ACC
1 - G5
1 - Big 12