If the SEC wanted to shamelessly funnel their brand names into the playoffs, they could divide their teams up into two groups.
Group A would be the brand names: Florida-Georgia, Texas-Oklahoma, Bama-Auburn, Tennessee-LSU
Group B would be the cannon fodder: Ole Miss-Miss St, Mizzou-Arkansas, Vandy-Kentucky, USCe-aTm
Each team would have one fixed rival from their own group, then the rest of the schedule would consist of the 8 teams from the other group.
They could promote it with some carnival barking "In the SEC, we settle things in the playoffs" or some such.