Did the first CFP rankings seal the Big 12’s fate as a one-bid conference? We found a clue with the placement of BYU

Within the yammering and debate that unfolded Tuesday afternoon during the College Football Playoff rankings reveal, one utterance should have resonated deeper than all others from Morgantown to Orlando and Tucson to Salt Lake City.

“I think the Big 12’s only getting one team in,” ESPN analyst Greg McElroy said.

That one team, of course, would be the conference champion.

Talk about bad math: There are seven at-large berths available in the 12-team playoff, five weeks remaining...