Let's look at Alabama for a minute - the consensus #1 team in the country and the best team in the SEC. What have they done for that title?
OOC: Beat a 7-5 WVU, 3-9 FAU, 3-9 So. Miss, 7-5 FBS W. Carolina
In Conference: Beat a 6-5 Florida, 6-6 Arkansas, 7-5 TAMU, 6-6 Tennessee, 8-4 LSU, 8-4 Auburn, 10-2 Miss State
People assume those wins are incredibly impressive because "they beat Auburn, Florida, LSU, TAMU, Miss State" without regard to how good those teams actually are - they're just assumed to be good teams.
Miss State isn't much better with OOC wins over So Miss, UAB, So. Alabama, and UT-Martin. Their "impressive" wins are 8-4 LSU, 7-5 TAMU, 5-7 Kentucky, 8-4 Auburn, 6-6 Arkansas, 3-9 Vandy
Bottom Line:
If you assume for a second that LSU, TAMU, Auburn, and Arkansas aren't any more impressive than Miami, FSU, Clemson, and Duke (which is true), GT has a more impressive resume than Alabama or Miss State if we win out.