re: Ranking the 1-Loss Playoff Teams by Quality Wins

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Is no one going to tell me how 2017 Wisconsin (12-1) was not even in the discussion but 2017 Alabama (11-1) was an obvious Playoff Team?

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Wisconsin was in the discussion, I imagine. The problem with Wisconsin wasn't a comparison to Alabama, but rather the circular logic of letting them in vs Ohio State.

OSU beat them. They're in.
Wisconsin had the better record. They're in.
OSU lost by 30 and had 2 losses. They're out.
Wisconsin lost to OSU. They're out.

Wisconsin was left in a weird place because they lost to an Ohio State team that looked like a terrible Playoff contender. That loss was like a stink they could not scrub off.

OSU needed to destroy Wisconsin and prove they were the absolute, 1000000%, big boys of the Big 10.

Remember, Wisconsin went into that game #4 in the playoff polls. They win, even by a hair, and they were in. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Losing to a #8 Ohio State team meant that the committee now had to either:
Move a 1-loss Alabama team to #4 from #5
Bump a 2-loss, #8 Ohio State team to #4

It is a series of events, not a singular event.