A few days ago I’d have told you the cluster at the top was great evidence of the need to expand the playoffs. All kinds of problems—What to do with a one-loss Bama, how to accommodate five one- or no-loss P5 champions, etc.—are all solved with an eight-team playoff.

Now? Not so much.

Assuming LSU, OSU, and Clemson take care of business, you’ll have exactly four teams that the committee can in good faith select for the playoffs. More than four, at least this year, would be too many.

Yeah, a disaster scenario could have easily happened, but it didn’t. And frankly, it usually doesn’t. For every year there is controversy over the first team out there are years where even four teams is unnecessary; just as well to let Bama and Clemson have at it.

This year may turn out to be a compelling argument that four is exactly right.