Back then - as you know -I get all this...especially the financial part. I'm retired also...however, what I miss are the mid-season intersectional games -- like Notre Dame or USCwest or Penn State, etc. Those were incredible games with tension and meaning....
But then...
Penn State and Notre Dame were full independents
Alabama only played six conference games in an 11-game schedule
There were more conferences
Expansion has to some degree been contraction at the national level.