CFP bracket reveal goes off the rails with absurd idea for Indiana to game the system

The College Football Playoff committee has a problem. Teams and media are starting to figure out all the ways they can game the system and it's only a matter of time before someone is bold enough to test them. Joey Galloway is already there.

During ESPN's CFP rankings reveal, Galloway made the case for the Indiana Hoosiers to play the odds with their remaining schedule and current No. 5 ranking. He thinks Curt Cignetti should sit quarterback Kurtis Rourke in their biggest game of the season against Ohio State on Saturday.

Galloway's logic: The Hoosiers are likely in even with a loss to Ohio State. The only thing that could keep them out is a loss and an injury to Rourke, a la Jordan Travis and Florida State last year.

Let's be clear here: If Indiana sat Rourke at any point in order to ensure a place in the CFP bracket, the committee should penalize them heavily.

It's the same reason, despite the inevitable criticism, the committee needs to reward whoever loses the SEC Championship Game instead of penalizing them for an additional loss. As it is, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin suggested that some coaches don't even want to play in that game for fear that a loss would knock them out of the field.

With that out of the way, let's get real. There is no way in hell Curt Cignetti would even consider that plan of action. He'll want to beat the Buckeyes and he'll certainly believe his Hoosiers can do it with Rourke behind center.

Galloway is a former Buckeye, so maybe he's putting this thought into the universe in a twisted form of gamesmanship. The only team that would truly benefit from Indiana sitting Rourke would be Ohio State.

Fortunately, we shouldn't have to worry about these machinations once the conference title games arrive. It's too valuable to have a first round bye to risk resting players.