The leagues mandate 9 via SOS and conference scheduling, and the B1G mandates 10. As a result P5 teams own SOS 1-65 according to ESPN (66-130 are G5, even BYU slots in #72). So this is working creating separation:
http://www.fbschedules.com/2017/08/2017-...-espn-fpi/
IMO 10 seems right. But I know it's a scheduling issue. A typical SEC or ACC school has 8 conference and a either an OOC rival (e.g., Kentucky vs Louisville) or a neutral site game (e.g., Alabama vs whomever), and they need 7 home games to get the maximum revenue. So when you have 4 home and 5 away in conference on a given year (B1G, P12, B12, and some SEC and ACC rivalry 9th) it means 3 OOC home games. Most schools are aligned in their 10th P5 game so that it balances 5 and 5. It's impossible to go to 11 without several schools sacrificing a 7th home game.
So 10 is where it should be. And for the most part it is:
11: Texas, Cal, USC
10: Baylor, ISU, K State, TCU, OU, OK State, Tx Tech, WVU, IU, Maryland, Mich, Mich St, tOSU, PSU, Rutgers, Iowa, Min, Nebraska, NU, Purdue, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UW, ASU, UCLA, Clemson, FSU, L'Ville, NC State, Duke, Ga Tech, UNC, Pitt, Miami, UVa, Va Tech, Florida, UGa, SoCar,
9: KU*, Illinois*, Wisconsin* (+BYU), WSU*, Arizona*, CU*, Utah* (+BYU), BC, Syracuse, Wake, ND, UK, Mizzou, Tennessee, Vandy, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU (+BYU), Miss State, A&M
8: Ole' Miss* (+BYU)
You can bump up Mississippi, LSU, Utah, and WIsconsin since everyone counts BYU as P5 (unusual year, BYU normally plays 6 P5 schools, but only 4 this year )
I do think the ACC and SEC need to go to either 9 games or require an 8+2. All conferences should be on 10. There will be the odd problem that will see a school fall short, but who cares if it is one or two programs. It's really only an issue when it's 20 programs taking one fewer game. Typical SEC school has a FCS opponents when a B12/B1G/P12 has a P5, and that is simply unfair.
The schedule mandate has helped BYU, at least the first 5 weeks of the year, but without a tie-in like ND has with the ACC they simply can't get to 8 or 9 games, since nobody will travel to Provo after September. I would like to see all conferences allow one P5 OOC or rivalry after September. I also think getting to 10 will be much easier with 3 P5 level Independents rather than 1 + 1 counting. BYU doesn't have a enough slots to fill everyone getting to 10, and Notre Dame is locked in for 8 games as is, and 1 of the remaining is probably a B1G school, another a G5 "rest" game. Mechanically having 3rd Indy combined with relaxed rules on OOC scheduling dates would provide the dozen counting games required in the current format. (Once the B12 implodes we'll have to start the evaluation all over).