Why they didn’t move the season a week up in August is beyond me. Having games on Thanksgiving break is just stupid.
The Big Ten watched as Urban Meyer (then at Florida) and Gary Danielson of CBS lobby endlessly about “no rematches” after the 1 vs 2 Ohio State/Michigan game of 2006. Back then, the league gave all teams Thanksgiving week off. And there was no Big Ten Championship game (as the league was still 11 teams, one short of the number needed to hold a CCG). Florida beat a .500 Florida State team Thanksgiving weekend by 7 and then the following week beat Arkansas by 10 in the SEC Championship game. Ohio State was locked into the BCS Championship game as #1 and there was endless debate over who should be #2, Florida or Michigan.
It was quickly understood that the holiday weekend was full of TV viewers across the country and the Big Ten could do nothing to change a narrative via results on the field. I believe the extension of the regular season was complete by 2008.
The NCAA requires special dispensation to teams seeking to play “week 0” games (prior to Labor Day holiday weekend). That may change if the NFL proceeds with plans to move up the opening regular season games to that same weekend in a year or two.