Playing a strong schedule against quality opponents is more important now than ever before, as college football places a heavy premium on who a team has played

Boise State is on pace to beat the Big 12 champion for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, and with Tulane on the rise, could the Green Wave push the conference entirely out of the 12-team playoff?

No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Texas, No. 6 Miami and No. 11 Boise State are the committee's projected highest-ranked conference champions. As of now, the fifth highest-ranked conference champion is Arizona State out of the Big 12, but AAC leader No. 17 Tulane is on the rise.