Here is your future

[Frozen Gator]

I'd support an 8 team playoff, and think it probably should have been from the get go.
I'd also support allowing the P5 conference champs to have automatic bids so long as said team has not exceeded 1 loss. Losing 2 or more games wouldn't necessarily exclude a team from a playoff, but their bid would no longer be automatic.
This would both keep the importance of the regular season as well as allow for an up and coming team at least the opportunity to play for it, provided they are playing well enough and have played a tough enough schedule to warrant the ranking.

We need 8 super conferences, that will come as close as you can get to taking speculation out of it. Play on the field under a known set of rules will decide a real champion.

 

[GatorJB]

This year the top 4 teams have 1 loss, while the next four consists of a 2 loss Ohio ST, a crappy 1 loss Wisconsin, a 3 loss Auburn, and a 2 loss USC team. If anything this season shows that 4 teams are plenty, and this committee can correctly choose the best 4 teams. There is no need to add more, which will certainly dumb down the regular season.

 

[Frozen Gator]

This year the top 4 teams have 1 loss, while the next four consists of a 2 loss Ohio ST, a crappy 1 loss Wisconsin, a 3 loss Auburn, and a 2 loss USC team. If anything this season shows that 4 teams are plenty, and this committee can correctly choose the best 4 teams. There is no need to add more, which will certainly dumb down the regular season.

If conference champions only are in the playoffs the regular season to me becomes much more important. Also, I don't want my destiny decided by people whose opinions are diverse (some West coast or NE snowflake). I prefer to settle it on the field.