Yep. Easier to get in. MUCH harder to win it all.
Said it a million times, but in past formats (mainly prior to the CFP) a team could win a Title without having to play the very best teams at the end. That's how we have Georgia Tech, BYU and Colorado among the names listed as National Champions over the past 40 years. No more. Some people think the expanded playoff is going to bring about more parity, but it might just further reveal the real differences between the truly elite and everyone else.
Regardless of outcomes of some individual games, there is almost zero doubt in my mind the three BEST teams in the country this year were Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State. About a 99% chance one of those teams would have won a 12-team playoff.
I will take it a step further. Who would vote against Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State not being three of members of next years NC? That is the problem with college football. About 40% of NC qualifiers are ranked 1-4 in the AP preseason poll. Going on memory all of the NC winners(4 team playoff) were in the top6 except maybe one school. Your typical NC distribution is 2 blue bloods that were 1-4 the entire year, one top 10 team that peaked, and one surprise either because of easy schedule, luck, or a great run. I will go out on a limb and call it Georgia, OSU, Alabama, and USC. I probably have great odds of picking one, and decent of getting two. Unlikely that it would be three or more. But it has happened.
Georgia has a very easy schedule. Its Tenn and the conference championship. Alabama has it tougher. But if the one loss team beats the undefeated team in the conference championship, both have a good chance of getting in. OSU has two tough games, ND and Michigan. USC is the least talented and has the toughest schedule. Would not be surprised if they are not there.