The alternate tie ins are NOT guaranteed once a conference champion is in the top 4 and receives a playoff berth. You would be correct that in a typical Orange Bowl year, the ACC and B12 Champions are contracted to meet. But a vacancy is created in a year when the playoff is not held in Miami and one or both CCs are granted playoff berths. At that point it is suggested that the berths go to a top 12 team. The top 12 is not in all cases a guarantee. Many if you think the committee has sole power. It has playoff power. But beyond thatxeach rotation out NY6 game has considerable leeway in its execution and can tell the committee shove it. The Bowls own themselves and partner with the CFP. They also partner with networks and given the number of times in the first 3 years the committee delivered horrible TV matchups that drew terrible ratings, the Bowls took over a lot of the kibitzing about who they wanted in the last two years.

If the Fiesta Bowl wants to pit BYU and USC, it will happen. If the peach bowl wants to pit Cincinnati against Georgia, it will happen. If a top 10 team gets snubbed it will have little recourse.

Finally in a COVID year a lot of bowls are being tabled and the sponsors that pay the freight my nix contracted ties to better their matchups.

It's all far from decided or over.

Also U produce BYU ends the year in the top CFP 10 anyway.