An overwhelming percentage of those lower division players have no chance at playing in the NFL. A larger than average percentage of top players on FBS playoff teams would have a lot to lose if they get hurt in one of their up to 4 playoff games.
I agree they could dump some regular season games, but the networks who have shelled out big money for regular season games would be pretty upset to lose a couple non-con games for every team in the conference.
If the NCAA monster forced players to play 14, 15, or 16 FBS games they would get torn up for exploiting players who get paid nothing. The NCAA would make tons of money off those expanded playoffs and it would be more evidence that the NCAA gets rich off of amateur college players.
Part of me would be perfectly fine with a 12 or even 16 team playoff, but that would basically be the end of the Bowl era as we know it. No way would they make enough money off games between a bunch of teams with losing records and having none of the top 12 elite teams available to come to their bowls.
It would be sad if ISU never has a chance for post season play unless they get into the playoffs.
You have both people losing money and making money as a result of your playoff scenario. I think dropping one single non-conference game and going back to 11 game regular season would be fine. Is anyone going to miss playing Akron or Western IL? Yeah, we can pad our W column to be bowl eligible but most CFB fans would rather see a real 8 game play off with conference champions from the P5, maybe an independent and a top ranked smaller school for the Cinderella potential. Throw in one or a couple of wildcards and you have 8 teams. Bowls are a tradition that needs to fade away unless they're incorporated into the play-off or the Conference championship games.
Does anyone care who wins in the Beef-o-Camperworld dot com bowl?
Bowls are the NIT of college football; they used to matter a lot. Their time has passed. Now they shouldn't at all.