If the wheels hadn't fallen off at Florida State they'd have also gotten the special treatment (they did start the season highly ranked IIRC).

The pollsters now reserve the T10 for the B1G and SEC (plus the imminent additions FSU, Clemson, and Miami). There was a decided line of demarcation this year where only those teams got the benefit of the doubt when losses hit as any program with a loss not in those conference was kept out of the T10.

I suppose the silver lining is that the B12 is still in a better position than the G5 schools on TV money and the space between #20 and #15 is basically a given for the top teams in the conference. I will be cheering hard for every team not in the B1G and SEC to succeed in the playoffs and bowl season.