If there were 4 leagues and each conference could have a playoff of 4-6 teams that wouldn't be so bad but it probably doesn't happen with CFB. Especially if we could do away with the abomination that is post season exhibition games known as bowl games.
On the other hand you are using a standard that no other sport uses, including the NFL. There isn't a relevant sport where teams that finish 2nd in a league don't have access to the playoffs and the sports championship.
What's not needed with an expanded playoff of 12 or more are CCG's. Just go to 16 or 24 and eliminate those games but the greed of the SEC & B1G will always fight that. Yes, lets have one more meaningless game so we can throw up the strawman argument expanded playoffs are too many games for these kids.
Its one of hte reasons the NFL is a much better product. You don't have engineered outcomes, politicking, etc. Instead you have a true playoff where the rules are set before the season and everyone plays their way in and there are not different sets of rules for different teams.
A standard that no other sport uses is a selling point. The regular season means everything. It's all on the line every week.
Marketing. The NFL is watering down the product more and more. So is baseball. NBA and NHL might as well not even play a regular season.
Make college special again....or....water the **** out of it, make it like everything else and cash the checks. Kill that ******* golden goose before the door hits us on the ass while we're at it.