You are misinformed. There are only five conferences (SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and Pacific 12), which are known collectively as "the Power Five" conferences, considered to be superior. The AAC, MWC, MAC, C-USA, and Sunbelt together are known as the "Group of Five" and one team from all of them gets the automatic qualification. Therefore when Marshall lost the last game, Boise State got the automatic bid despite being in a different conference.

---