I mean, it is two straight years with an obscure team in the natty. Though, Washington isn't that obscure. They just haven't won anything in like 30 years
Last year was a fluke that will be eliminated by the 12-team playoff because TCU would have had to play an extra game - because the committee 100% would have dropped them if it wasn't a four-team playoff last year.
Georgia, Michigan, Clemson, and Utah would have gotten byes last year. After those four, your rankings would (I think) be:
5) Kansas State (conference champion - Big 12)
6) Tulane
7) Ohio State
8) TCU (I have a hunch since 8 plays 9, we'd get TCU but they'd get home to avoid criticism)
9) Alabama
10) Tennessee
11) USC or perhaps Washington
12) Penn State
Unless Tulane, Utah, K-State, or TCU won, it would be an expected name. And only Utah would have a bye.
As far as Washington, they've been at the periphery a few times. They PROBABLY should have won the 1984 national championship over BYU, the split one with Miami in 1991 (and having seen them all play, they were probably the best or 2nd best team in the US in 1990), they ended Miami's long winning streak in 1994, they had an argument for inclusion in 2000, and they made the 2016 playoff, so this isn't their first rodeo.
I'm not saying Washington is one or even two steps behind Oklahoma historically, but they've had ebbs and flows, including a couple of legendary coaches (Darrell Royal did one season there before going to become a Texas legend, Jim Owens, and Don James) and an 0-12 season just 15 years ago.
Washington winning it wouldn't be a colossal surprise. And I "get" it's been awhile but they've had some decent teams.
What will 100% NOT happen is a team like Cincinnati or Mississippi State or UCF winning the thing. All 3 of those teams MIGHT make the tourney the same year, but it isn't going to happen. The addition of Texas and OU just made their road to a title even more difficult (MSU), and the others aren't going to start with the week off advantage, either.
I expect virtually all national titles will be won by one of the 29 teams to win one since 1936, and I'd exclude BYU, Minnesota, Pitt, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and Maryland from that list already, knocking it down to 23.