beating a single team that will finish ranked in the final CFP rankings. And, Notre Dame and Indiana don't have to play in a tough conference championship game. That is atrocious. Time to implement a play-in round for the top-ranked non-CCG participants. They should have to play and win a 13th game to show that they belong.

First weekend of December should be the conference championship games. Top-4 champs advance to CFP Quarterfinals in the New Years bowl games; champ #5 advances to CFP Round 1; top-ranked CCG losers advance to Round 1 (still have to win a game to get to the New Years bowl games).

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
(First weekend in December)
B1G: (1)Oregon v. (3)Penn State [Indianapolis, IN]
SEC: (2)Texas v. (5)Georgia [Atlanta, GA]
ACC: (8)SMU v. (18)Clemson [Charlotte, NC]
B12: (12)Arizona State v. (16)Iowa State [Arlington, TX]
MWC: (10)Boise State v. (19)UNLV [Boise, ID]
AAC: (25)Army v. Tulane [West Point, NY]

CFP QUALIFIER GAMES
(Second weekend of December)
(17)Colorado @ (5)Notre Dame [South Bend, IN]
(16)BYU @ (6)Ohio State [Columbus, OH]
(14)Miami @ (9)Tennessee [Knoxville, TN]
(15)Ole Miss @ (10)Indiana [Bloomington, IN]
(13)South Carolina @ (12)Alabama [Tuscaloosa, AL]

CFP ROUND 1 (assuming higher-ranked team wins)
(Third weekend of December/Pre-Christmas)
(12)Alabama @ (5)Notre Dame [South Bend, IN]
(11)Arizona State* @ (6)Ohio State [Columbus, OH]
(10)Indiana @ (7)Penn State# [State College, PA]
(9)Tennessee @ (8)Georgia# [Athens, GA]
*5th Conference Champ
#Top-12 CCG losers

CFP NEW YEARS QUARTERFINALS (assuming higher-ranked team wins)
ROSE: (1)Oregon* v. (8)Georgia# [Pasadena, CA]
SUGAR: (2)Texas* v. (7)Penn State# [New Orleans, LA]
PEACH: (3)SMU* v. (6)Ohio State# [Atlanta, GA]
FIESTA: (4)Boise State* v. (5)Notre Dame# [Glendale, AZ]
* Top-4 Conference Champs
#Round1 winner

CFP SEMIFINALS
Cotton and Orange Bowls: CFP Quarterfinal Winners

CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Atlanta, GA: CFP Semifinal Winners