College Football Playoff selection committee chair Jeff Long breaks down the panel's reasons for Florida State dropping to the No. 4 spot and TCU moving back into the top four. (4:31)

So unbeaten Florida State has won 28 straight games, yet the Seminoles keep getting penalized for winning. In what universe does it make sense for the College Football Playoff selection committee to move the defending national champions to No. 4, behind three one-loss teams?

Perhaps the conspiracy theory universe.

How to explain away the inexplicable? Conspiracy, of course!

Let us put aside for a moment that Florida State was already behind one-loss Alabama and one-loss Oregon and focus on whether TCU deserves to jump the Seminoles. The answer to that is a very resounding no.

Both teams have two wins over teams currently ranked in the College Football Playoff Committee’s Top 25. Except TCU has a loss this season. Advantage: Florida State.

The committee complained that Florida State had too many recent close wins over unranked opponents. Two of those opponents -- Boston College and Florida -- beat teams currently ranked in the committee rankings. We are not talking about a struggle against bottom-feeders ...

The loss of numerous impact players on offense will likely test Florida State's Jimbo Fisher in 2015. Orlando Sentinel via Getty Images

Unless we start talking about TCU. The Horned Frogs squeaked out a 34-30 win over 3-9 Kansas three weeks ago. Does that not count? There was a similarly close win over West Virginia, a team with the same record as Boston College. Does that not count?

Maybe Florida State has close wins because it is playing better defenses. Five teams ranked in the top 17 in total defense to be exact. TCU has played exactly zero teams ranked in the top 20 in total D.

Advantage: Florida State.

Using the BCS computers, Alabama and Florida State would be ranked 1-2 and primed for a national championship game for the ages.

Advantage: Florida State.

Now, here is where the conspiracy comes into play. When Jeff Long talks about Florida State, it is almost like he is playing Lingo Bingo. Maybe all those fancy catchphrases like “game control” and “eye test” count against Florida State because the committee is trying to set up more appealing AND geographical semifinal matchups.

Dropping Florida State to No. 4 means a semifinal in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans against No. 1 Alabama. That is the dream matchup everybody wanted to end last season, a delicious pairing between mentor Nick Saban and mentee Jimbo Fisher.

Even if the committee decided to credit Florida State for winning all its games and place the Noles at No. 1 -- WHAT A CONCEPT! -- there is no way the committee could explain dropping Alabama to No. 4 without looking more foolish than it already does. Florida State playing so many ugly games gives the committee the perfect excuse to drop Florida State to No. 4 and set up the semifinal matchup everybody wants.

Interest would be off the charts. Ratings would be off the charts. Ticket sales would be greatly helped, as both fan bases can get to New Orleans without flying.

And the winner would guarantee that ratings for the national championship game would be off the charts no matter the opponent. Because both Alabama and Florida State move the needle as Darth Vader-like teams everybody outside their respective fan bases wants to lose.

Certainly a 2 vs. 3 matchup between Oregon and Florida State would be appealing, but not nearly as much. The game would not be a geographic fit. More than that, getting a Florida State-Alabama matchup in the championship game would be far from a guarantee.

A semifinal delivers in every way. The committee has shown it does not respect Florida State, the way it has won or the schedule it has played. Sticking the Noles at No. 4 not only sends a message, it presents the best possible semifinal matchup among the teams currently ranked in the Top 4.

So put on those tinfoil hats. You see? It all makes perfect sense.