I will add the caveat that if ND loses a bunch of games, that will hurt Cincinnati immensely. If ND finishes like 8-4 or probably even 9-3, then that would greatly increase the chance that the Bearcats get jumped by a 2nd Big Ten team or a 1 loss Oregon or Oklahoma that wins their conference (though unlike the SEC and Big Ten, the Pac 12 and Big 12 aren't very good). Cincinnati needs ND to finish 11-1 or maybe 10-2
This I agree with. Cincy needs to root for ND the rest of the way, and not have them lose games like VT today.
But honestly, barring there being only a bunch of two-loss power 5 teams, Cincy just doesn’t deserve it. If you don’t play in a major conference, you can’t schedule Murray State and Miami of Ohio for half of your non-conference games. Cincy’s second or third best win would be Indiana, which would be Penn State’s 7th or 8th best win. It’s just not the same, and I would hope the committee recognizes that.
BYU is playing 7 power-5 teams — if they run the table, they’d deserve at least as much consideration as Cincy.