The group has recommended forming a committee to select the four teams, using a methodology that would consider strength of schedule and give more weight to conference champions.

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Each factor involves the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) that is used by the NCAA to measure a team's strength of schedule as well as its performance against that schedule.

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The Mountain West's five tournament teams were all ranked in the RPI's top 44, a measure that heavily weighs opponents' strength of schedule and which the NCAA uses to help select and seed teams.

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The current BCS system uses human polls, computer rankings, and strength of schedule to match the top two teams in the country to play for the national championship, and the process has always been open to criticism.

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To determine these figures, Ezekowitz analyzed the first-round NCAA tournament games played between teams seeded Nos. 3-14 since 2004. (There weren't any No. 1 or No. 2-seeded teams upset during this period.) The data showed the three statistical strengths common to the teams that pulled off upsets: rebounding, turnovers and strength of schedule.

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However, because of the strength of its schedule, the BCS computer system ranked Oregon fourth, thereby sealing its number-two ranking.

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Especially galling to Marshall is any suggestion that Kansas or Kansas State might weaken their strength-of-schedule rating by playing Wichita State every year.

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