No stupid pea pods...KISS keep it simple stupid. It also checks all the "right" boxes.
http://tigerboard.com/boards/view.php?message=18154492
Even when the cycle goes around every 7th year when, say,
Alabama doesn't regular season play Auburn in their East division - it's still covered.
Each team has 4 non-conference games. If desired they just schedule them OOC.
Also the 8 team playoff is it. The games lead to winning your conference is the playoff or finishing second, maybe even third. The P5 conference games are the playoffs as well!