My instinct is presidents aren’t going to be enthusiastic about expansion.

Beyond the bowl relationship you have issues to contend with.

I would think you can’t get beyond 8 without going back to an 11 game schedule or 11/12 depending on calendar like FCS.

Blocking expansion is best leverage for auto bids. Why any P5 ever left out agree to a scheme that doesn’t guarantee you a slot.

There is generally an assumption that 16 means 10 auto bids. Sure that means six at-large which beats the three or two auto bids 8 would provide. But it’s an easy cop out to apply the NCAA Division I autobid principle which is half or less of the field. At 16 with 8 auto bids you are leaving out the two weakest leagues based on most likely last three years of data and can alway have a hook (be ranked x as a non-autobid champion or be ranked above y number of autobid teams to get a guaranteed at-large).

Looks more inclusive.

In a normal year assuming all CFP title game participants played a conference title game you have two play 15, around 8 play 14, around 70 play 13 and 50 play 12.

Now if you go back to 11 and assuming league champs advance the furthest you have 2 play 16, 2 play 15, 4 play 14, 2 play 13, with say 25 bowls you get 56 playing 12 and 74 play 11. Overall fewer games. Played and a reduction in injuries and lost class time.