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We discussed this possibility a few months back, and in most years, if N.D. isn't among the 3 best unselected teams after you account for the teams listed in the auto-bid qualifiers, we aren't a legitimate playoff contender. Bottom line, if we are in the Top 12, we are almost certainly getting in. If we're outside of that, we are probably in one of those seasons where we really don't have room to complain.

What I don't particularly like is the Big Ten and S.E.C. being guaranteed double the number of automatic bids as the A.C.C. and Big 12. I doubt "fairness" was a big part of the discussion, but we have certainly seen years in recent past where the A.C.C.'s #3 and #4 were every bit as qualified as those of the Big Ten.