Booger McFarland and Kirk Herbstreit explain whether the strength of schedule or beating top-25 teams were important to the committee in deciding the top four teams. (2:12)

MADISON, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin is wedged between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona in Madison, with the capital building peeking out over the city architecture. It constructs somewhat of a natural boundary around the university and, perhaps, a barrier from the avalanche of college football opinions about to come the Badgers' way.

Inside this bubble, you can find mass amounts of cheese, mopeds on nearly every street corner and an undefeated football team living in its own world, devoid of drama and hot takes. The Badgers are one of five remaining top-25 teams that haven't lost, yet they are rarely talked about as contenders for the College Football Playoff.

And they're OK with that.

Paul Chryst and Wisconsin are No. 9 in the first College Football Playoff rankings. Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire

"I like that we don't get caught up in that talk," junior linebacker T.J. Edwards said. "There's not too many guys here worried that we're not in those main conversations. I think everyone wants to talk about all the rankings, but we can talk about it at the end of the season when we actually know what everyone has done."

The knock on the Badgers, and why they're not in those main conversations, is what they have not done, which is beat a ranked opponent. Although they are undefeated, their strength of schedule for games already played ranks 80th among FBS programs.

Playing in the Big Ten West, where no other team has fewer than two losses and only two other teams have winning records, has hurt the Badgers' national perception and has critics talking about the lack of an impactful win. And without Ohio State or Penn State on the regular-season schedule this year, it's likely the season will end without the Badgers playing a single ranked team.

So when the first playoff rankings were announced Tuesday, Wisconsin was ranked No. 9, behind six one-loss teams.

"No. 9 Wisconsin, the committee obviously respects their undefeated record," said Kirby Hocutt, the College Football Playoff committee chairman. "Right now they're executing their system at an extremely high level, but strength of schedule is just not there. Their best win in the eyes of the selection committee is against a 5-3 Northwestern team. So the selection committee looks forward to watching Wisconsin continue to play and look forward to them playing quality opponents in the weeks ahead."

The players have heard that talk, but they choose to tune it out because of what lies ahead and what happens inside the bubble. The main message is to focus on what you can influence, which they know is not the College Football Playoff rankings or the national image of this team.

"Last year they were saying our schedule is too hard, and we were going to win three games," Edwards said. "I don't know what else you want us to do. All we can do is focus on this week, and all that stuff of getting caught up in the media is something for the media."

Schedules have played a factor in previous playoff selections. Baylor, at 12-1 and a Big 12 champion, was kept out of the playoff in 2014 largely based on its weak nonconference schedule. Washington, on the other hand, reached the playoff last season with a weak nonconference schedule and a 12-1 record, ahead of the Big Ten and Big 12 champions who had tougher schedules but two losses. Wisconsin holds the trump card, though, with an undefeated record. Through three years, the committee has not left out an undefeated Power 5 champ.

Wisconsin's four remaining games are ranked 11th in difficulty for any FBS team with a chance to face a highly ranked Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.

But for head coach Paul Chryst, those are things that can't be controlled. That doesn't mean he wants the perception of the Badgers affected by all the debate.

"One, you're proud of this place ...," Chryst said. "So when you say, does it matter? Yes, it matters. There's a lot of work that goes into making this, and for good reason, there's talk about it, and there's interest. But for them to maximize the experience and, I think, enjoy it the most, you have to put yourself in the moment."

That means worrying about Indiana before even thinking about making the playoff because that's what the current moment is presenting.

Chryst and his players know that it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of them or where they're initially ranked if they don't win the next game and finish the season undefeated. To not think any further ahead than the next game sounds cliché, but it's how they're going about their business because they still have quite a few obstacles ahead.

Last year's team lost to Michigan and was defeated by Penn State in the Big Ten championship game. The Badgers' path to the playoff includes tough games against Iowa and Michigan. There is a path to another Big Ten championship game and, from there, to the playoff, but Chryst doesn't want his players looking too far down that road.

"It's like a game: You only win the game at the end of the game," Chryst said. "I think it's the same with the season. It doesn't matter what is said. You don't spend time thinking about it. We're just trying to focus on the important stuff."