In my scenario, the quarterfinals--played one week after the conference championship games--have #1 vs. #8, #2 vs. #7, #3 vs. #6, and #4 vs. #5, with the higher-ranked team hosting the game. This would actually put more balance back to northern-based programs like Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State if they're highly-ranked at start of the tournament, since in early December the weather in the northern climates would be quite cold and that could work against an SEC, ACC, Big 12 or Pac 10 in the tournament normally playing in warmer climates by late November-early December.
I understood that. Again, however, the issue is who picks which teams are in? Do you boot the SEC championship loser to make room for TCU?
How’s this for an idea?
EVERYbody leave two unscheduled games. Have the opposition chosen by merit, but the opposition can’t be in your own conference, or someone you played in a bowl game the last year anyway. Schedule Boise St. to play Texas and Florida, and then going undefeated would mean something! Then the current system would make a little sense. No-one would have to pretend that these matchups were the end all and be all of football, but Boise St. could still prove something if it “only” beat Texas and Alabama, or even Kansas and Alabama.