If Ohio State beats Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game (no easy task), the College Football Playoff selection committee will have quite the conundrum.

Do they put in No. 5 Alabama or jump the Buckeyes from No. 8 to No. 4 because of the title they would have won in that scenario.

According to the CFP selection criteria, which can be found here, there are four things the committee is instructed to consider when making their picks for the final four:

  • Championships won
  • Strength of schedule
  • Head-to-head competition (if it occurred)
  • Comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory)

On Tuesday night’s rankings show, analyst Kirk Herbstreit said the committee’s criteria will work against the Tide when the final rankings are announced on Sunday, even though Alabama is a great team once again.

“Alabama every year is a great football team,” he said. “If you’re being truthful, they were playing their best football in September and October. Injuries mounted and it became a nightmare. They don’t have the players they’ve had in the past.

“If Ohio State beats Wisconsin, they will have a trump card (over Alabama) based on the committee’s own criteria, even with the Iowa loss.”

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, but the Tide have a very real chance of being on the outside looking in when the final four is announced on Sunday.