There are many moments that define a season, but this is the first year plays defined a playoff.
It wasn't just Baylor's nonconference schedule that doomed the Bears' playoff hopes; it was the loss at West Virginia that knocked them out of the top four. It wasn't only the performance by Ohio State third-string quarterback Cardale Jones in the Big Ten title game that punched the ticket for the Buckeyes; it was the win against Michigan State that put them in position to get there.
Here's a look at how the top four spots were won -- or lost -- in a historic season for the sport.
Alabama
The opponents: Arkansas and Mississippi State.
The moments: The first came in the fourth quarter at unranked Arkansas, when Landon Collins intercepted Brandon Allen on third-and-10 to seal the 14-13 win. The second moment wasn't a single play -- it was a 15-play drive in the fourth quarter against then-No. 1 Mississippi State. Alabama was clinging to a 19-13 lead when that 76-yard touchdown drive ate 6:07 off the clock and added a 25-13 cushion with T.J. Yeldon's 7-yard touchdown run. Blake Sims converted all three third downs himself (one pass, two rushes). It was Alabama's first win over a No. 1-ranked team in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The outcome: The win at Arkansas was critical not only for the SEC West standings, but from an emotional standpoint, as well. The Tide had to rebound from the previous week's loss at Ole Miss. The upset of Mississippi State put Alabama in the selection committee's rankings for the first time -- a spot the Tide would never relinquish.
The flip side: Sure, the OT win at LSU was huge, too, but it would have been an afterthought in the playoff race had Alabama lost that game at Arkansas.
Oregon
The opponent: Washington State.
The moment: Washington State trailed 38-31 with about five minutes left in the game and had a chance to tie it with possession on Oregon's 38-yard line. Instead, Connor Halliday was sacked by Tony Washington on fourth down for a loss of 6 yards.
The outcome: This would be Oregon's smallest margin of victory all season, and it kept the Ducks undefeated and atop the Pac-12 North heading into October. Don't forget: Marcus Mariota was sacked seven times in this game, which drew attention to the offensive line woes.
The flip side: Losing to unranked Washington State -- which entered the game as 24-point underdogs -- would have been disastrous, especially knowing the Ducks would lose to Arizona at home the following week.
Florida State
The opponents: Notre Dame and Clemson.
The moments: Notre Dame thought it scored the game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds left, but officials called offensive pass interference on receiver C.J. Prosise, who used his body to free up teammate Corey Robinson. That might have been the biggest game-changer for FSU all season. But don't forget about this one: With the game tied at 17 in the fourth quarter against Clemson and Clemson on Florida State's 18-yard line, Eddie Goldman stripped the ball from C.J. Davidson, and Nate Andrews recovered it with 1:36 remaining to force overtime.
The outcome: That controversial call against Notre Dame pushed the Irish back to the 18-yard line, and Everett Golson's desperate heave to end the game was picked off in the end zone. Notre Dame never bounced back. The Irish lost four of the next five games and quickly fell out of the ranking. Meanwhile, FSU's identity as one of the luckiest teams in the country was cemented -- as was its spot in the top four.
The flip side: Had Notre Dame's touchdown stood, FSU would likely be watching Baylor in the playoff next month.
Ohio State
The opponent: Michigan State.
The moment: With his team trailing Michigan State 14-7, Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett (remember him?) converted on third-and-23 with a perfectly placed, over-the-shoulder pass to Devin Smith for a 43-yard gain.
The outcome: Barrett's pass against the Spartans sustained the game-tying scoring drive and changed the course of that game and, in turn, Ohio State's season by making the Buckeyes Big Ten favorites again and keeping their playoff hopes alive. Ohio State didn't crack the committee's top four until it beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship, but the win over Michigan State put it in position to do that.
The flip side: The Buckeyes would be looking up at Baylor in the No. 4 spot, and the chatter about third-string quarterback Cardale Jones would be a moot point because Michigan State would have won the East Division.
Baylor
The opponent: West Virginia.
The moment: In the fourth quarter, Baylor got as close as the WVU 10-yard line and came away with zero points. On third-and-goal at the WVU 10-yard line -- the Bears' final drive of the game and their only drive of the quarter that was inside the Mountaineers' territory -- Bryce Petty was sacked by Shaquille Riddick for a loss of 8 yards and pushed back to the WVU 18-yard line.
The outcome: The Bears dropped out of the selection committee's top four that Tuesday and were never able to sneak back in. This loss, coupled with a weak nonconference schedule, was the difference in Baylor's season.
The flip side: Had Baylor finished the season undefeated, the Bears would have been in.
TCU
The opponent: Baylor.
The moment: With the game tied at 58 with 1:17 remaining, TCU had the ball on Baylor's 45-yard line on fourth-and-3 when Trevone Boykin heaved it deep toward the sideline, intended for Josh Doctson. The pass was broken up by Ryan Reid, who smothered Doctson on the coverage. It was a strikingly similar play to the one that did draw a pass interference call and led to Baylor's win. The Bears hit a game-winning field goal on the ensuing drive.
The outcome: The selection committee finally honored the head-to-head win when it mattered most -- in the final ranking, when it dropped TCU from No. 3 to No. 6 behind Baylor.
The flip side: Had TCU finished the season undefeated, there's no way the Horned Frogs would've dropped three spots in the final ranking.
Mississippi State
The opponent: Ole Miss.
The moment: Ole Miss had a precarious 17-10 lead in the third quarter -- until Jaylen Walton took off for a 91-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 24-10.
The outcome: It was a deficit from which the Bulldogs couldn't recover, and it quickly ended the speculation about two SEC West teams in the playoff. With Mississippi State's loss, Alabama clinched the SEC West title.
The flip side: At 11-1, the selection committee would have given serious consideration to two SEC West teams in the top four, but it still would have been an uphill battle against the Big Ten champ and Big 12 co-champs.
Ole Miss
The opponent: Auburn.
The moment: Laquon Treadwell's simultaneous fumble and season-ending injury near the goal line. With less than two minutes left in the game and Ole Miss trailing 35-31, the Rebels had the ball on Auburn's 20-yard line. It was third-and-3 when Bo Wallace threw it to Treadwell, who came within inches of the goal line before Kris Frost stripped the ball from him. The call on the field was the game-winning touchdown, but it was overturned.
The outcome: There wasn't a more devastating way to lose a game in 2014. The injury cost Treadwell his season, and the fumble was the dagger in the Rebels' playoff hopes. Both Auburn and Ole Miss were ranked in the top four at the time, but the Rebels' second loss couldn't be overcome.
The flip side: If Ole Miss had won, maybe it wouldn't have been blanked 30-0 at Arkansas. That's the key because there's no way the Rebels get in the playoff with that loss and the loss to LSU on their résumé. With wins over Alabama and Auburn, though, the Rebels would have had a great shot at winning the West and keeping their spot in the top four.