For all that has been discussed about the resumes and who they have beat, the focus of the 'separation' between the two teams and who they lost to and by how much seems to be what *could* be the final deciding factor between Oklahoma and Ohio State (should all the favorites win on Saturday). It's fair to focus on that, since on the surface it seems like it's one of the only differences between the teams - outside of the overall effectiveness of each team's defense. 

But what I have yet to see discussed, on here or anywhere else, is how the final quarter of each of those games played out.. and the effect on the final score of each. Emphasis on the final score, since "loss by 29" and "loss by a FG" seem to be the main difference between these two teams when they are typically discussed. 

Going into the 4th quarter of the Texas v Oklahoma game, it was a 21-point lead for Texas. They had control of the game, and the idea that Oklahoma was going to win seemed extremely far-fetched. We all know how explosive and effective Oklahoma's offense can be, so that was really the only concern. So long as Texas didn't stop playing the way they were in the first 3 quarters, it wouldn't matter in the end. But Texas got more conservative and played less aggressive on defense and let the Sooners back in the ball game. So the final score was much closer than the overall game indicated. Oklahoma scored 3 TDs on 10 plays in less than 6 minutes to make it a game thanks to the way Texas played late. It was almost a choke-job of monumental proportions. 

Going into the 4th quarter of the Ohio State v Purdue game, it was a 15-point lead for Purdue. Yes, Purdue had controlled the game, but everyone watching knew that 2 scores and the Ohio State offense wasn't the end of the world. We just hadn't seen anything that indicated Ohio State was going to win. So, in that sense, it was very similar to the Oklahoma loss. But a closer game nonetheless. Thanks to Ohio State getting reckless and desperate late, what could have been a one or two score loss turned into a 29-point loss that is now the talking point of the overall narrative when discussing these two teams. Two late (under 4 minutes left in the game) TDs made it go from 15 points to 29 points. Ohio State outgained Purdue and had 7 more first downs in the game. As bad as the Buckeyes played, it very easily could have been a 2-score loss (or less, if we get a stop with 7 minutes left and get the ball back - our offense had finally driven down and scored a TD right before that). How would that change the narrative?

I guess what I'm getting at here, is that the season and perhaps who goes to the playoff between these two teams is about 6 minutes of football that changed the score in favor of Oklahoma in their loss, and about 4 minutes of football that changed the score in favor of Purdue in our loss. *If* the committee is going to have to split hairs, I hope they don't just say "well Ohio State lost by 29 and Oklahoma lost by 3," and leave it at that. There is more to the scores and games than just that. 

Let's just hope Texas and Tom Herman can make this debate go away and it won't matter.. and Bama takes care of business.