Pods were designed correctly and cross-pods games were marketed correctly.

Maybe create the ability to have conference semi final games across pods as well. Beat teams from pods play each other for the right to play in the CCG. Some risk that one pod will be significantly better than another but historically that plays out ok.

It would be beneficial for all 4 conferences to do this and play those games on the army/navy weekend. Viewership would probably be very high that weekend