The College Football Playoff committee likes things to be simple. In a perfect world, the top teams win big, there's no need to split hairs, and in the end, it's impossible to mistake the top four teams.
The problem is, winning is hard, and it's rarely pretty.
Just ask TCU. The Horned Frogs have made a business out of winning ugly -- of erasing second-half deficits and engineering miracles and, on Saturday, in playing absolutely nasty defense and doing just enough to edge rival Texas 17-10.
Or ask Oregon. The Ducks had their ninth win of the season within their grasp -- again and again -- and came away empty.