So there is this ESPN: Growing interest in G5 playoff, the tl;dr is some ADs are interested in creating their own playoff because there seems to be little hope of a G5 team reaching the playoffs.
I do not expect it to happen soon but this seems like the next step in the process of a complete FBS split. The long and short of it is that the P5 and G5 leagues are already split. There is a schism of financial resources, access and fan support that won't ever change on a substantial level.
The best course of action is to assume the AAC and MWC will be late to this idea, they will bemoan it and fight it and rack up massive amount of debt to stay with "the big boys" So let us accept that premise and move forward from there.
I think the best course of action for the remaining G5 conferences, would ideally involve dividing the CUSA/Sunbelt into regional geographic leagues as a cost saving measure .CUSA currently stretches from El Paso to the East Coast, just makes no sense for cross divisional games to be that far for a league that doesnt produce much cash. This idea has already been out there and makes financial sense for both leagues. Marshall could return to the MAC to lower travel cost further for all,or there are other options.
I think a true G5 playoff would eventually involve the NCAA twisting its own rules and allowing conferences to rise up out of the FCS to the 85 scholarship limit as a group. This idea nearly happened with the CAA but was denied , I believe a G5 playoff will involved the move up of the top shelf of FCS schools, I assume some will be absorbed by Sunbelt,CUSA, MAC as well as the reclassification of most of a league. The Big Sky, CAA, MVFC would all be involved in this reshaping, as well as some financially solvent schools from the OVC and Big South.
Think of this split on a similar level to the origin D1 split in the 70's. I think the reality of this will begin to take shape in the 2020's.
