Each team in a conference (or a conference division) plays the same number of games; the team with the best record advances. Games played early in the season count the same as games played later in the season. If there is a tie, the tiebreakers are designed to objectively choose the advancing team.

"Backing in" is only an issue when there are subjective criteria involved, like when the MNC was played between the two teams at the top of the polls. But even in those cases you thank your lucky stars if your team is chosen, because luck doesn't always smile your way.

[Post edited by mmartin at 10/12/2016 09:04AM]