I agree. And I still can't figure out why the 'college presidents' are so opposed to a playoff. It can't be money, (as they so often seem to say) because the interest generated in a real playoff would be tremendous. Plus, there would be better regular season matchups, as teams wouldn't fear taking a loss early in the year in the interests of improving their team.
The boosters won't stand for elimination of the bowl system. Anyone proposing to take away the boosters' parties around New Year's Eve will be crushed. We all unfortunately have to bow down to these blazer-wearing pompous a-holes.
It can still be done, though. Here's how:
1. Require all regular season games and conference championships to be finished by Thanksgiving weekend.
2. Have teams ranked (by whatever method) 1-8 host teams 16-9 the first week of December.
3. Rerank the eight winner and have 1-4 host 8-5 the second week of December.
4. Send everyone (who qualifies) to a Bowl game. Obviously, the four surviving teams would play against each other. The other twelve teams, along with those teams that didn't qualify for the playoffs, get Bowl Games that are no less meaningless than they are now.
5. The two surviving playoff teams play a real Championship game a week after their Bowl game.
The boosters get their party, the playoffs schools get more games, we have a real Champion, and nobody plays more than 16 games. Ohio High School teams play up to 15, so 16 should be no problem.