Before the BCS was the "Championship Match-up" selected by a coaches vote? If it was, do you know if the revenue distribution was set up like it is now in the BCS?
I don't think it was.
The BCS was set up ostensibly to create a match up only. Actually SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer who was also the first BCS Czar crafted the $millions to the big conferences (and ND who they couldn't afford to leave out but would have liked to).
In the early 90's Kramer as SEC Commissioner led the conference in two Divisions to reduce losses to the Conference Leaders which diminished their place in the polls. He ended decades long grudge matches between the big boys and "championed" watering down the schedule by adding the directional school on a widespread basis to the conference scheduling. He was aggressive in getting bowl ties-in guaranteeing slots not only for the Top Team, the SEC leader went to the Sugar Bowl for decades. He extended the tie-ins down to the 7th ranked team in the conference if they had a .500 record (including wins against Div AA schools). He also championed the Conference Championship Game with the $$$ and post season boost in the polls over teams that don't have Championship Games like USC and ND. He also champion revenue sharing first at the conference level. Then among BCS members when he became BCS Czar.
nlroma1o, prior to the BCS the bowls, the various polls voted for 1 after the post-season. Before the early 60's the polls only included regular season games as bowl were considered exhibition games created by local Chambers of Commerece (which they were). They usually included the winner of the local conference and some other team that would travel well (rent a lot of hotel rooms and spend $$$$ in the local economy.) After about '63 one poll did their final poll after the bowl games. ND hadn't gone to a bowl by choice since 1925 (Rose Bowl) as the ND Administration thought the bowl games a distraction to the academic cycle. When the polling system changed meaning ND could go undefeated in the regular season but not finish #1 in the final poll because they chose not to participate in bowls, Ara Parshegian persuaded the ND Administration to change their stance.
Hope that explanation helps.