in early November. And they don't use any of the other polls as part of some ranking equation like the BCS did.
Literally your entire complaint is addressed by the new CFP ranking system.
And TCU/Baylor being shut out last year had nothing to do with preseason bias. TCU was in the top four of the CFP ranking until Ohio State jumped them by dismantling Wisconsin in the B1G title game (TCU's problem was the lack of a B12 CCG).