16 is the magic number IMO and it would be a ****** cash-cow. You know, to help pay the players.
Probably never happen because it would add too many games or at least that would be the argument against it. But just for ***** & giggles:
-P5 conference champs get automatic bids.
-G5 conference champs earn automatic bids with the caveat that they're ranked in the Top 25 AP/Coaches composite at the end of the season, or something to prevent a 7-win Sun-Belt team from taking up a slot.
-Remaining wild card spots are determined by a committee or rankings system. Maybe AP/Coaches composite ranking.
-Conference champs/higher ranked team host rounds 1 & 2 in that order of precedence. If both teams are conference champs, the higher ranked team is the host.
-Semi-finals and championship game can be held in consecutive weekends in the same city that will bid against other cities every year.
This would give FBS its own Final Four, more legitimate than the current model. All that money as well as ticket revenue for all 15 games can be shared among the 10 FBS conferences to help pay these kids or their coaches buyout.
You would have 15 games that mean something and everyone would want to watch as opposed to meaningless bowl games with nothing at stake in half-empty stadiums. It would generate some fun match-ups and force non-conference champion P5 teams to leave the comfort of home to compete. LSU @ Boise St., Miami @ BYU, USC @ UCF for example.
That's just me thinking out loud. If you try 8 teams it's gonna be Bama, LSU, UGA, Clemson, Taint, ND, Oklahoma and some random 1 or 2 loss team every year.