Right, I expect 16 to be used as a lever to arrive at 8 as well.
I personally would like to see campus games in the quarters in the first place. Hell, I'd be in favor for the fucking semis to be at home venues too, but that's a pipe dream for another generation to deal with.
I've never understood this issue and for the following reasons:
1. Regarding the NFL, they don't start the postseason until January the 15th.
2. Regarding the New Year's tradition...just don't have a fucking month-long layoff between regular and postseason. There has never been a demonstrated necessity for that. If anything, it's a detriment to the players to re-acclimate themselves to an actual competition environment. High schools don't wait for their playoff, neither do the pro's, neither do the other collegiate ranks. This is a stupid problem.
3. Let's suppose it's indeed 16 teams. Ok that's 4 rounds. Say they just start with the CCG's. [Ron White]Let's just say[/Ron White]. So that's:
Round of 16-December 4th
Round of 8-December 11th
Round of 4-December 18th
Bye-December 25th
NCG-January 1st
Not that fucking difficult as long as we stop pretending that it's just a given that FBS players are so physically (and mentally, for those who want to invoke the "FINAL EXAMS!" fallacy) delicate that they need to be taking 3-4 weeks off after CCG's. All these alleged "constraints" that FBS "faces" in making 8-16 a workable deal to be completed by New Year's are fictitious.