http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=12810785
The committee ranks the teams. Then top 4 go to the CFP semi-final games. Then contracts are fulfilled then Go5 top ranked conference champion gets in. Then they go to the highest ranked in the committees poll.
In every single year #5 in that ranking WILL be in. They can NOT be passed over because some bowl executive thinks another team will sell more beer.
In a year like this year (Rose/Sugar hosting semi-finals) #5-7 will also be in and possibly even a team ranked as low as #8-9 IF there are not conferences with multiple teams in the playoffs and the top 5 conferences teams are in the top 10-12...
There is absolutely nothing written that says a team can not be ranked in the top 7....even if someone feels there will be an effort to collude against teams during the ranking process the fact remains if a team does reach that level they will be in....