Let’s set aside the confusing metrics and selection criteria used by the College Football Playoff committee.

Boise State has made a strong case for themselves.

The No. 10 Broncos secured their position with a decisive 21-7 win against No. 19 UNLV in the Mountain West Conference championship. They proved their worth.

With a total of 12 victories and a hard-earned conference title, their performance stands out. The two wins against the Rebels surpass those of any of the teams in the Big 12 and ACC championship games in terms of victories over ranked opponents.

They’ve checked off all the essential criteria set by the committee, including holding the best loss record among potential candidates, reinforcing their entitlement to one of the four first-round byes allocated for top-ranked conference champions.

It’s time for the College Football selection committee to make the right choice: grant the Broncos a first-round bye.

This discussion isn’t centered around star running back Ashton Jeanty’s outstanding, Heisman-worthy performance or the program’s historic victory.

This centers on a program that has been striving for recognition in the BCS and CFP playoffs for twenty years, yet has not been granted that spotlight. Given their current standing in all the vital CFP metrics, they must be acknowledged.

If, by some chance, Boise State does not receive a bye, it’s very likely they’ll be ranked in the top eight, which would ensure a first-round home game. The committee can’t reasonably penalize Boise State for their conference schedule when they’ve overlooked the weak schedules of Indiana, Penn State, and even SMU.

Given that the CFP committee seems to favor wins over overall strength of schedule (looking at you, Indiana), comparison of losses becomes crucial. Boise State has the strongest loss record in the nation, losing to No. 1 Oregon in a game that came down to the wire.

Oregon required a punt return touchdown, a kickoff return touchdown, and a last-minute field goal to manage a controversial win. The officials upheld a call that Oregon’s Noah Whittington did not fumble before crossing the goal line, controversially denying a Boise State equalizer late in the game.

When examining the best wins from the other four teams in the ACC and Big 12, Arizona State’s victory over Brigham Young stands out as the only ranked win amongst them. A win by the Sun Devils against Iowa State would still put them at par with Boise State’s two ranked victories.

In terms of all these factors: Boise State began the week ranked five spots higher than No. 15 Arizona State and six spots above No. 16 Iowa State. Only SMU at No. 8 is above the Broncos, and their win over Clemson will mark their first top victory.

The committee has reached an unavoidable conclusion.

The only sensible decision is to award Boise State a first-round bye.