What Would the CFP Look Like Using the BCS Rankings?

No. 8 Seed (6) Penn State Nittany Lions vs No. 9 (7) Tennessee Volunteers

No team's playoff position would be more impacted than the Penn State Nittany Lions. Instead of taking on the SMU Mustangs, Penn State would be forced to go through the Tennessee Volunteers in Round 1. Further, that would mean they'd have to get past the top-ranked Oregon Ducks in the second round. 

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No. 2 Seed (2) Georgia Bulldogs

Likewise, the Georgia Bulldogs would be slotted as the second-overall seed using the BCS rankings. The Bulldogs overcame an injury to Carson Beck, stunning the Texas Longhorns in the SEC Championship Game. It wasn't pretty at times this season, but Georgia still earned the second-highest BCS score by the end of the campaign.

No. 3 Seed (9) Boise State Broncos

The third-highest-ranked conference winner would be the Boise State Broncos. The only blemish on the Broncos' record is a heartbreaking 37-34 loss to the top-ranked Oregon Ducks. Boise State progressively moved further up the AP rankings all season before emerging as a top threat in the CFP standings. That position is reflected in their BCS, as well. Boise State finished with the ninth-best percentage but would be slotted into the third seed.

No. 4 Seed (10) Arizona State Sun Devils

Parity was the name of the game in the Big 12 this season. That is until the championship tilt in Week 15. On Saturday, the Arizona State Sun Devils made short work of the Iowa State Cyclones, capturing a 45-19 victory and easily covering the -1.5 spread. In doing so, they earned the fourth-highest BCS rating of any team, vaulting ASU to the fourth seed.

No. 5 Seed (3) Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs No. 12 Seed (13) Clemson Tigers

Despite their solid campaign, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish would also have to take the long way to a National Championship using the BCS rankings. Notre Dame would be relegated to the fifth seed without a conference championship to its name. That would position them against the lowest-ranked opponent, which would end up being the same as the CFP rankings. The Clemson Tigers finished 13th in the BCS standings but, by virtue of their ACC win, would slot into the 12th seed.

No. 6 Seed (4) Texas Longhorns vs No. 11 Seed (11) Alabama Crimson Tide

Inarguably, the most entertaining first-round matchup using the BCS rankings would be the sixth-seeded Texas Longhorns taking on the 11th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide. Bama was left out of the CFP's 12-team field, but their 11th-ranked score of 0.5752 would get them in using the BCS method. Still, they would have their hands full escaping the clutches of the fourth-ranked Longhorns.

No. 7 Seed (5) Ohio State Buckeyes vs No. 10 Seed (8) Indiana Hoosiers

Using BCS scores, the Ohio State Buckeyes would rank slightly higher in the playoff standings. Ohio State finished fifth in the BCS standings, which would have been good enough for the seventh playoff seed. That would put the Buckeyes on a collision course with a familiar foe, the Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana had the eighth-best BCS score but would fall to the 10th seed in the playoffs.

No. 8 Seed (6) Penn State Nittany Lions vs No. 9 (7) Tennessee Volunteers

No team's playoff position would be more impacted than the Penn State Nittany Lions. Instead of taking on the SMU Mustangs, Penn State would be forced to go through the Tennessee Volunteers in Round 1. Further, that would mean they'd have to get past the top-ranked Oregon Ducks in the second round. 

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