#1 and #2 might actually be at a disadvantage in that. A lot of later bowls the teams look rusty to start out, after such a long layoff. then eventually get in their groove. While the teams that played before could shake off that rust. But my perception could be way off
I would like to see 8, but Urban Meyer brought up a good point. It is really hard for the families of these players to get to the games legally, so there should be a fund for immediate family of players to be flown to games. Having 8 teams might mean a family from the west coast having to fly around the country 3 different times in a 3-4 week time span.