Meanwhile there's a sizable contingent around here that have somehow convinced themselves that "they" want Clemson in the playoffs every year, manipulating officials and rankings and schedules and whatever else, because whoever "they" are that have so much power in CFB for some reason want Clemson in the playoffs over Ohio State or Texas.

If someone who stands to profit off the playoffs actually had a say in who gets in, you damn well better believe they'd be spinning a narrative about Clemson's schedule being so weak that it justifies dropping them out of the top four. Then sprinkle in a little official magic in the Big XII championship game, drop UGA a little farther after the SEC game, and bam, you have a ratings dream playoff of Bama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Texas.

The fact that there are regularly upvoted comments around here about how someone is working to put Clemson into the playoffs over any of those teams is so amazingly misguided you don't even know where to start. I'm sure the networks are glad they dodged the bullet of having to hold a Notre Dame vs. Ohio State playoff game, or Bama-Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Man that would suck for ratings.