BRISTOL, Conn. -- If Arizona State coach Todd Graham had his way, college football would see a complete revamp in how nonconference scheduling is conducted.

“I just wish they would say, ‘Listen, [if you’re a Power 5 team] you can’t play anyone other than a Power 5 team in nonconference,’ " Graham said. “Everybody should play the same amount of conference games; everyone should have a conference championship game. It’s what makes sense.”

Todd Graham believes players and fans want more meaningful games, and playing only Power-5 teams would accomplish that. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

“Isn’t that what the fans want? Isn’t that what’s best for college football?”

As far as it being what the fans want, it’s hard to argue against it. At a minimum, it would make the first month of the season significantly more exciting, which, from a spectators' standpoint, should be the point.

If anyone is looking forward to one of the four opening-week games involving a Pac-12 team and an FCS opponent it’s because actual football is better than no football, but let’s not pretend any anticipatory excitement wouldn’t be magnified by more meaningful games. So in that vein, Graham is right. That's what fans want.

Cutting out the Group of 5 games, though, is a tougher sell. Boise State vs. Washington on Sept. 4 is the obvious example this year to combat Graham's "only play Power 5 teams" idea, but it's not alone. Utah State at Utah, San Diego State at Cal and BYU at UCLA are a few others that make sense on several levels. I'm not convinced the health of college football would change for the better if those types of games are traded for lower-tier Power 5 teams on the other side of the country.

Arizona State opens the season against Texas A&M in Houston, which is what led Graham to address the scheduling concept.

"Most people don’t know there is no return game -- and that is a home game, it’s in Houston and they’ll have a very tough crowd," Graham said. "A lot of people said, ‘Why would you do that?’ Well, it’s the kind of game I want to coach in, it’s the kind of game players want to play in, and it’s what our fans want. It’s great for college football. It’s also about our plan to be successful and unique. It’s impacted our summer. Our guys understand we’re playing a heck of a football team and we have to be ready Week 1."