BLUF: Proposal to reward P4 teams who qualify for and participate in the conference championship games while also preventing possibly being penalized for losing said game.
Listening to the conversation on the pod about the G5 teams having their own playoff (which I agree with COMPLETELY) got me to thinking about another flaw in the current system with 12 teams. In the current setup, making your conference championship game can actually be a BAD thing. In our situation this year, I would much rather be a 10-2 team that hosts a 1st round playoff game at home than go to Atlanta and risk losing, or getting a key player(s) hurt, or both, and getting left out at 10-3 with a key player(s) out. Suggestion:
1. Add 4 teams to the playoff, bringing the total to 16. P4 championship game participants automatically qualify. Highest rated G5 team (if we are going to continue this meaningless charade), and 7 at large bids.
2. Set up double bye bracket. Championship game winners get double bye. Runner-ups get a single bye. G5 team (whatever) and 7 at large teams play round one as currently set up.
3. Championship game losers host 2nd round. Brackets are set up to avoid championship game losers being in the same bracket as the team that beat them in the championship game.
4. Continue current setup from this point.
Thoughts?