Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
In the 1980s, we got mostly awful bowl pairings and non-conference schedules that weren't good enough to offset small, 6- or 7-game conference schedules that frequently missed pairing the best teams against each other. In 1980, Georgia beat one top-10 team while awesome Nebraska, Penn State, Florida State, and Pitt teams mauled each other. In 1983, Miami beat one. In 1984, BYU beat one (and that team, Pitt, ended up being incredibly mediocre). For all the glories we pile on the non-conference scheduling of yore, we get so many more top team-vs-top team matchups today, and the sport is better for it. Even if we still had the BCS, we would still be getting more elite-vs-elite games.
http://www.footballstudyhall.com/2016/6/2/11840002/college-football-1980s-nebraska-penn-state-miami