The Utah Utes (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) are firmly in the conversation for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP), despite starting the season with two Big 12 losses. The team was ranked No. 13 in the initial CFP rankings, placing them just outside the field, but significantly higher than their AP Poll ranking, suggesting the committee sees their potential.

📈 The Challenge and The Opportunity

Utah's path is defined by two key factors:

Resume Deficiencies: The Utes currently lack a win over a team ranked in the first CFP Top 25. Critically, their two losses came against the two highest-ranked Big 12 teams, No. 7 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech. This creates a difficult hurdle for an at-large bid, especially if they are viewed as the third-best team in their conference.

The Path Forward: For Utah to secure an at-large bid, winning out and finishing 10-2 is non-negotiable. Their remaining schedule includes games at Baylor, vs. Kansas State, and at Kansas. They will need dominant wins to impress the committee and increase their low-ranking Strength of Schedule (SOS).

🤝 Needing Help for the Big 12 Title

The clearest route for Utah to guarantee a CFP spot is by winning the Big 12 Championship for an automatic bid. To get to the title game, they need help, specifically for either BYU or Texas Tech (or both) to drop a second conference game. If they manage to earn a spot in the Big 12 Championship and win, they would be an automatic qualifier.

In an at-large scenario, the Utes need chaos among the teams ranked No. 9 through No. 12—like losses for Notre Dame, Texas, or Oklahoma—to climb high enough. A 10-2 finish leaves them reliant on other upsets to jump into the final field.

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