I'm with Barry. I've preached a 6-team playoff system as the best solution for the past couple seasons. Here's my proposal:
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Power 5 Champions* + Group of 5**
*Power 5 Champ must finish top 6 in the final CFP ranking
**G5 Team must finish top 12 in final CFP ranking
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1/2 get a bye
3/6 & 4/5 headline the beginning of the bowl season with the first two playoff games 3 & 4 would be the hosts and also gain extra revenue for the home game. These would be the quarterfinal games
They will have 2 weeks of rest between their conference championship and the QFinals along with 2 weeks of rest until the semi-finals at the top of the year. They will also be monetarily awarded for playing in the QFinals. The host that is geographically most north will play the early game due to the cold weather while the one more south will play the later game.
In this system, it would solve the TCU/Baylor dilemma in 2014, the Big-10 Champ dilemma in 2016, and the UCF dilemma last year.
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For example, here is how the last few years would've looked with a 6-team playoff.
2017
1. ACC Champ: Clemson
2. Big 12 Champ: Oklahoma
3. SEC Champ: Georgia
4. Alabama
5. Big-10 Champ: Ohio State
6. Group of 5 Team: UCF (Ranked #12)
Note: Pac-12 Champ USC doesn't make it due to finishing #8 in the final CFP ranking.
Byes: 1. Clemson & 2. Oklahoma
Quarterfinals
Saturday, December 16th
#3 Georgia vs. #6 UCF
Venue: Sanford Stadium - Athens, GA
Time: 2 PM ET
Winner plays Oklahoma
#4 Alabama vs. #5 Ohio State
Venue: Bryant–Denny Stadium - Tuscaloosa, AL
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Winner plays Clemson
2016
1. SEC Champ: Alabama
2. ACC Champ: Clemson
3. Big-10 Champ: Ohio State
4. Pac-12 Champ: Washington
5. Penn State
6. Michigan
Notes:
- Big-12 Champ Oklahoma doesn't make it due to finishing #7 in the final CFP ranking.
- Group of 5 Team Western Michigan doesn't make it due to finishing #15 in the final CFP ranking.
Byes: 1. Alabama & 2. Clemson
Quarterfinals
Saturday, December 17th
#3 Ohio State vs. #6 Michigan (Rematch of a the 2016 classic)
Venue: Ohio Stadium - Columbus, OH
Time: 2 PM ET
Winner plays Clemson
#4 Washington vs. #5 Penn State
Venue: Husky Stadium - Seattle, WA
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Winner plays Alabama
2015
1. ACC Champ: Clemson
2. SEC Champ: Alabama
3. Big-10 Champ: Michigan State
4. Big-12 Champ: Oklahoma
5. Iowa
6. Pac-12 Champ: Stanford
Note: Group of 5 Team Houston doesn't make it due to finishing #18 in the final CFP ranking.
Byes: 1. Clemson & 2. Alabama
Quarterfinals
Saturday, December 19th
#3 Michigan State vs. #6 Stanford
Venue: Spartan Stadium - East Lansing, MI
Time: 2 PM ET
Winner plays Alabama
#4 Oklahoma vs. #5 Iowa
Venue: The Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium - Norman, OK
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Winner plays Clemson
2014
1. SEC Champ: Alabama
2. Pac-12 Champ: Oregon
3. ACC Champ: Florida State
4. Big-10 Champ: Ohio State
5. Big-12 Co-Champ: Baylor
6. Big-12 Co-Champ: TCU
Note: Group of 5 Team Boise State doesn't make it due to finishing #20 in the final CFP ranking.
Byes: 1. Alabama & 2. Oregon
Quarterfinals
Saturday, December 20th
#4 Ohio State vs. #5 Baylor
Venue: Ohio Stadium - Columbus, OH
Time: 2 PM ET
Winner plays Alabama
#3 Florida State vs. #6 TCU
Venue: Doak Campbell Stadium - Tallahassee, FL
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Winner plays Oregon
1. SEC Champ: Alabama
2. ACC Champ: Clemson
3. Big-10 Champ: Ohio State
4. Pac-12 Champ: Washington
5. Penn State
6. Michigan
Notes:
- Big-12 Champ Oklahoma doesn't make it due to finishing #7 in the final CFP ranking.
- Group of 5 Team Western Michigan doesn't make it due to finishing #15 in the final CFP ranking.
Byes: 1. Alabama & 2. Clemson
Quarterfinals
Saturday, December 17th
#3 Ohio State vs. #6 Michigan (Rematch of a the 2016 classic)
Venue: Ohio Stadium - Columbus, OH
Time: 2 PM ET
Winner plays Clemson
#4 Washington vs. #5 Penn State
Venue: Husky Stadium - Seattle, WA
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Winner plays Alabama
2015
1. ACC Champ: Clemson
2. SEC Champ: Alabama
3. Big-10 Champ: Michigan State
4. Big-12 Champ: Oklahoma
5. Iowa
6. Pac-12 Champ: Stanford
Note: Group of 5 Team Houston doesn't make it due to finishing #18 in the final CFP ranking.
Byes: 1. Clemson & 2. Alabama
Quarterfinals
Saturday, December 19th
#3 Michigan State vs. #6 Stanford
Venue: Spartan Stadium - East Lansing, MI
Time: 2 PM ET
Winner plays Alabama
#4 Oklahoma vs. #5 Iowa
Venue: The Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium - Norman, OK
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Winner plays Clemson
2014
1. SEC Champ: Alabama
2. Pac-12 Champ: Oregon
3. ACC Champ: Florida State
4. Big-10 Champ: Ohio State
5. Big-12 Co-Champ: Baylor
6. Big-12 Co-Champ: TCU
Note: Group of 5 Team Boise State doesn't make it due to finishing #20 in the final CFP ranking.
Byes: 1. Alabama & 2. Oregon
Quarterfinals
Saturday, December 20th
#4 Ohio State vs. #5 Baylor
Venue: Ohio Stadium - Columbus, OH
Time: 2 PM ET
Winner plays Alabama
#3 Florida State vs. #6 TCU
Venue: Doak Campbell Stadium - Tallahassee, FL
Time: 5:30 PM ET
Winner plays Oregon
Also, I took the Revenue Distribution Policies from this year and amended it for the QFinal games (Clause 5).
The following estimates of the CFP revenue distribution are based on preliminary calculations for the 2018-19 season and are only approximate projections of potential revenue distribution from each component:
(1) Each conference will receive $300,000 for each of its schools when the school's football team meets the NCAA's APR for participation in a post-season football game. Each independent institution will also receive the $300,000 when its football team meets that standard.
(2) Each of the 10 conferences will also receive a base amount. For conferences that have contracts for their champions to participate in the Orange, Rose or Sugar Bowl, the base combined with the full academic performance pool will be approximately $54 million for each conference. The five conferences that do not have contracts for their champions to participate in the Orange, Rose or Sugar Bowls will receive approximately $81.32 million in aggregate (full academic pool plus base), which the conferences will distribute as they choose. Notre Dame will receive a payment of $2.65 million if it meets the APR standard; the other three independents will share $928,503.
(3) A conference will receive $6 million for each team that is selected for the semifinal games. There will be no additional distribution to conferences whose teams qualify for the national championship game. A conference will receive $4 million for each team that plays in a non-playoff bowl under the arrangement (in 2018-19, the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowls).
(4) Each conference whose team participates in a playoff semifinal, Fiesta, Peach, Rose or Sugar Bowl, or in the national championship game will receive $2.25 million to cover expenses for each game.
(5) A conference will receive $3 million for each team that is selected for the quarter final games. There will be an additional $3 million for to the conferences whose teams qualify for the semifinals.
Additionally, certain conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision conferences will receive $2.53 million in aggregate
(1) Each conference will receive $300,000 for each of its schools when the school's football team meets the NCAA's APR for participation in a post-season football game. Each independent institution will also receive the $300,000 when its football team meets that standard.
(2) Each of the 10 conferences will also receive a base amount. For conferences that have contracts for their champions to participate in the Orange, Rose or Sugar Bowl, the base combined with the full academic performance pool will be approximately $54 million for each conference. The five conferences that do not have contracts for their champions to participate in the Orange, Rose or Sugar Bowls will receive approximately $81.32 million in aggregate (full academic pool plus base), which the conferences will distribute as they choose. Notre Dame will receive a payment of $2.65 million if it meets the APR standard; the other three independents will share $928,503.
(3) A conference will receive $6 million for each team that is selected for the semifinal games. There will be no additional distribution to conferences whose teams qualify for the national championship game. A conference will receive $4 million for each team that plays in a non-playoff bowl under the arrangement (in 2018-19, the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowls).
(4) Each conference whose team participates in a playoff semifinal, Fiesta, Peach, Rose or Sugar Bowl, or in the national championship game will receive $2.25 million to cover expenses for each game.
(5) A conference will receive $3 million for each team that is selected for the quarter final games. There will be an additional $3 million for to the conferences whose teams qualify for the semifinals.
Additionally, certain conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision conferences will receive $2.53 million in aggregate
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