The CFP Process: The Process
– The Flaw | Philosophies | The Flaw | Bowl Matchups

So now comes the truly fun part – creating the bowl matchups. 

– The playoffs create themselves. No. 1 Florida vs. No. 4 USC in the Sugar, and No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Texas in the Rose. One part to point out is that, if possible, depending on who the No. 1 team would’ve been, the committee would’ve made sure the matchup wasn’t in the Rose since that would’ve been a perceived advantage to the No. 4 USC team. 

– And now we have to create the Orange, Fiesta, Cotton and Peach. 

– Start with the Orange. The highest ranked ACC team available is in no matter what, and now the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech revote and change becomes a big deal in terms of perception. Virginia Tech plays the highest-ranked non-champion, and that’s Alabama. 

– After that, we have to put in the highest-ranked champion from outside the Power 5, so No. 7 Utah is an automatic. Considering Virginia Tech was No. 13, we then have to find spots for everyone else in the top 11 – Penn State, Utah, Texas Tech, Ohio State, TCU, Boise State. That means ranking Boise State 11th and Cincinnati 12th was huge. 

– You’d think there would be a scientific way of creating the bowl matchups, but it all came down to what we thought would be the most fun. 

– The problem was that Virginia Tech HAS to play Alabama, because everyone would’ve wanted to have seen No. 5 Penn State play the No. 6 Crimson Tide. 

– Initially, we put Ohio State vs. Texas Tech in the Cotton and TCU vs. Boise State in the Fiesta, and then everyone complained at once that it wouldn’t have been any fun to see the Group of 5ers square off in a kid’s table game, even though in reality they played a thrilling Poinsettia Bowl – a 17-16 TCU win. So we changed it up. 

– We were told to consider ticket sales, ratings, and general fan interest, so we decided to fill up the Cotton Bowl with a TCU vs. Texas Tech matchup. 

– Boise State seemed like a relatively easy fit in the Fiesta to play Ohio State, since these were two of the lower-ranked teams. 

– We gave the Peach the prize of No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 7 Utah, seeking to create the best possible matchup on the board with Alabama forced to go to the Orange. 

So here would’ve been your 2008 College Football Playoff top bowl pairings

– Sugar (Playoff): No. 1 Florida vs. No. 4 USC 
– Rose (Playoff): No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Texas
– Orange: No. 13 Virginia Tech vs. No. 6 Alabama 
– Cotton: No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 TCU
– Fiesta: No. 9 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Boise State
– Peach: No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 7 Utah 

– Good luck, real committee. Have fun with this, but if you’d like, the B team is right there for you ready to step in if needed.