The CFP committee could have lavished all sorts of praise if BYU had beaten, say, literally any team in any division of College Football ("The Cougars proved doubters wrong by executing at a high level against Stevens-Henagar...")

CFP committee could have saved face by attributing a higher ranking this week to a recent BYU game. Everyone would know its just a correction, but at least there would be some plausible deniability. But without a recent game, you're right that they'll be loathe to appear that they are caving to popular perception.