I'm don't think any conference champs should get an automatic bye. The conference champs deserve a bid, then pick the 8 next best teams. Then you seed 1-12 just like the NCAA tournament.
The problem is (and will always be) the influence that ESPN + TV ratings will have on the committee.
I think the 12 teams are largely predetermined- exceptions exist when a team like Indiana emerges. Is a 10-1 Indiana beter than a 3 loss SEC team? Who the hell knows? Here is where bias and the influence of ESPN comes in.
One thing I wish would happen is for the NCAA to step in and demand that the SEC play 9 conference games, and eliminate their mid-November games vs Mercer + UTEP. It's another bye week for them, and now allows them to move up in the top 12 CFP rankings when other schools may suffer a conference loss. I know the NCAA has no teeth and this won't happen, but the playing field isn't level.
The problem is (and will always be) the influence that ESPN + TV ratings will have on the committee.
I think the 12 teams are largely predetermined- exceptions exist when a team like Indiana emerges. Is a 10-1 Indiana beter than a 3 loss SEC team? Who the hell knows? Here is where bias and the influence of ESPN comes in.
One thing I wish would happen is for the NCAA to step in and demand that the SEC play 9 conference games, and eliminate their mid-November games vs Mercer + UTEP. It's another bye week for them, and now allows them to move up in the top 12 CFP rankings when other schools may suffer a conference loss. I know the NCAA has no teeth and this won't happen, but the playing field isn't level.