[GOP_Raider]

...how can a team play for the National Championship without winning their own conference?

This has actually happened twice in the current BCS era of college football, both of them Big XII teams.

In 2001, Nebraska was undefeated and on their way to playing in the Big XII Title game and lost badly to Colorado. They got to the Rose Bowl (the designated title game that year) and lost to Miami (Oregon was thought by many to be the team that should have played for the title that year).

Two years later, Oklahoma was set to go to the national title game going into the Big XII title game. Kansas State pulled off the upset in Kansas City and the Sooners went to the title game, eventually losing to LSU. (USC was awarded the AP title that year).

[TheBigB]

I do understand that a team that doesn't win its conference can play for the NC, which is why I phrased my post as I did...mention it as an ongoing question, rather than as fact. :o) Still a valid topic for discussion, IMHO...