during Conference Championship weekend. For logistics, I would stage the games and pre-scheduled neutral-site venues. It would be fun to have two same-location double-headers. I would select Las Vegas and Orlando for the venues...but perhaps they could rotate, involving other locations in Florida, Texas, and California. I would want good weather or domes.

While #2 Georgia beat Texas in the SEC championship game, they lost their starting QB to an injury. SMU barely reached the CFP and were nearly knocked out by playing Clemson. Oregon, Texas, Penn State, Arizona State, and Clemson also exposed themselves to injury risk, the potential loss, and experienced the wear and tear of the additional game.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame and Ohio State got to rest and prepare and practice for Round 1 games.

I would label them "CFP Qualifier" games or something like that. While not direct 'play-in' games, they would be a 13th game for teams not playing in a CCG. This eliminates the rest advantage and gives the additional data for the final CFP rankings. I would also expand the opportunity by giving 4 automatic conference bids to the CFP qualifier games and use best efforts to avoid same-conference matchups.

LAS VEGAS CFP Qualifiers
#4 Notre Dame v. #18 BYU (B12)
#6 Ohio State (Big Ten) v. #13 Ole Miss

ORLANDO CFP Qualifiers
#7 Tennessee (SEC) v. #12 Miami (ACC)
#9 Indiana v. #11 Alabama

If the favorites win, they justify their CFP inclusion and ranking. But, the games allow teams like Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss, and BYU to make their CFP case on the field.