Since this is kinda related to realignment, why don't the P5 schools push for the attendance requirement to be enforced? And/or up it to 25k average attendance? This came to mind again because of the situation at EMU.
Last year 10 schools didn't meet the 15k requirement. Another 36 failed to get 25k. There are 15 schools who play in stadiums of 25k or less. Why are these schools in the same division as P5 schools?
Going back over a 3 year period:
2015: 10 schools were under 15k and 46 under 25k with the lowest P5 at 26,427
2014: 9 under 15k and 43 under 25k with lowest P5 at 27,210
2013: 6 under 15k and 45 under 25k with lowest P5 at 26,062
Looking at cumulative average over the last 3 years:
8 schools average less than 15k
45 schools average less than 25k
3 P5 schools average less than 30k with the lowest at 26,602
3 of the 12 AAC schools average less than 23k
10 of the 14 CUSA schools average less than 21k with an 11th under 25k
11 of 13 MAC schools average less than 20k with a 12th and 13th under 21k
7 of 12 MWC schools average less than 25k
8 of 11 Sun Belt schools average less than 19k with a 9th, 10th, and 11th under 25k
All of the MAC, all of the Sun Belt, pretty much all of CUSA, and half of the MWC really belong in the FCS. Instead of 129 schools there should be 84, with 65 of those being P5 schools. The 9 AAC schools should add the 3 left over CUSA schools to get to 12. The 5 MWC schools would need to get BYU to join otherwise they would have to go Indy. Or hope that the B12 expands so they can join the AAC.
Another option to cut the fat would be stadium size. Require all FBS stadiums to be 40k. If a schools wants to stay in the FBS they need to commit by adding seats. There are 49 schools playing in stadiums under 40k with 2 of them being P5 schools. Washington State would need to add 7k seats and Wake 8.5k if they want to stay. Of the non P5 schools only Army (2k), Marshall (2K), and New Mexico (775) would be able to get there without an expensive renovation. Boise State has renovation plans to get over 40k already. So the capacity requirement would only knock out Army (who can't compete anyway) and Navy to the 45 above, while maybe subtracting out New Mexico and Rice (if they chose to stay). Or if you require both a 25k average and a 40k minimum stadium, you can keep out Rice for a total of 46 schools being "relegated" to FCS. Which would get the AAC to 11 schools and the MWC to 6 schools (assuming Boise State and New Mexico 23k/39k decide to stay) or 7 if BYU joins. The total FBS schools would be 83, with 65 in the P5.