I'd rather see a middle of the pack B1G/SEC team in a 12 game playoff than any middle weight conference champ.
Boxing figured this out a long time ago. Middleweights have their own belt.
The Big Ten and SEC have a chance to take the power for themselves, and away from everyone else. Start small, if you want, or don't. But tell the rest of the conferences to enjoy their playoff, because we're starting our own.
Big Ten has a 4-team playoff. Or 6-team or 8-team or whatever number.
SEC has the same number of teams in their playoff.
Winners of each play in some "college awesome bowl". Maybe alternate the location between Indianapolis, Anaheim, Atlanta, and Dallas.
Middleweights won't be able to cry because we aren't calling it the national championship. The ACC, Big 12, and G5 teams can fight over their national championship. But they'd step over their own mothers' graves for a chance to get into the Big Ten or SEC.