those are all potential top 10 teams, and 3 legit NC contenders
the model is confusing but the teams you expect to play every year will play every year, and is structured in a way that keeps someone like Purdue from having to play UM/PSU/OSU/WISC/IOWA/USC in a single season. BUT they will play everyone on that every 2-3 years.
this is fine i guess. id rather play USC in the conference than not at all.