altruistic reason other than that. The bowls were/are exhibition games, and they paid teams to play in them. The PAC's and Big 10 monopoly of the grand daddy of them all prevented any talk of a playoff system because they would not give up that money. The New 6ears 6 bowls was exactly the same. BYU had to schedule a 6-4 unranked Michigan team the year they won the national championship. 6 other teams that were ranked would not except the invitation to play. There was talk of BYU breaking their contract to play BC in the Fiesta Bowl that year, but seriously, there was no room for even a #1 ranked undefeated team to get a New Years date against the "blue bloods". An undefeated UCF relatively recently, and then Boise State knocking of Oklahoma in the 07 Fiesta Bowl. That team as well should have had a shot at the national championship - but purists wanted to keep the bowl system. Purists my eye, it was the Money they wanted to protect.