The college football playoff selection had a chance to get it right and did — almost.

Alabama, Clemson and Washington are all champions of their respective conferences. Then there’s Ohio State.

Yes, the Buckeyes are multi-talented, only have one loss and were ranked among the top five nationally all season. But two of those points are subjective.

And they should have a second loss. Anyone who watched that OSU-Michigan game who didn’t think the Wolverines got jobbed was watching said game through Scarlet and Gray colored glasses.

Penn State won the Big Ten championship ... That’s Big Ten, as in arguably the toughest football conference in the country Big Ten. The Nittany Lions also defeated Ohio State this year.

Of course, everybody knows that. You can say they blocked a field goal, ran it in, it was flukey — last time I checked, special teams were a part of the game.

Teams should have to play their way into the national championship tournament. It’s not a beauty pageant. Ohio State shouldn’t have gotten in because they just plain look better than Penn State on paper.

The Buckeyes LOST to Penn State. Penn State WON the Big Ten.

Penn State belongs in that four-team playoff, which should be reserved solely for conference champions.

Some teams have one loss, others have two ... Who cares? Western Michigan doesn’t have any losses and was never considered for the national playoff.

So ... Is there something wrong with this system?

Duh.

Every conference should have a championship game. Win that game and you move into a bracketed playoff pool, similar to Division II, III and every other level of college football.

If the smaller schools can do it, the big boys can, too.

Even in such an expanded format, Ohio State and Michigan would have been left out — and deservedly so. Win the games you need to win to get to your conference title game or you’re out of the national title picture.

Period.

And before Michigan fans scream bloody murder over that fiasco in Columbus, remember, you did lose to Iowa. Take care of business there and the Ohio State game doesn’t matter.

Penn State fans shouldn’t feel too badly about having to settle for the Rose Bowl. It’s still a marquee game against a strong opponent in USC.

And the Nittany Lions aren’t going away. Only one offensive starter — center Brian Gaia — is a senior and just three defensive starters are seniors.

There’s always the chance a couple of these juniors could opt for the NFL draft, but this program remains on solid ground.

A 2-2 record and coach James Franklin on the hot seat seems so long ago, doesn’t it?

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.