I'm not saying Utah is a playoff team, but IMO this is the scenario that gets them in:
- Utah has to win out (obviously)
- USC has to win out, or at worst, only drop 1 more game. USC is loaded with talent, and if they finish the season on a roll, Utah's loss suddenly looks a lot better than OSU's loss to VaTech last year.
- Stanford wins out til the PAC title game. Utah winning the PAC over a fellow 1 loss team carries a lot more weight than beating a 2 or 3 loss Stanford.
-The Big 12 eats itself alive. Something along the lines of OK State beating TCU, then TCU beating Baylor.
- Clemson loses at least one game, but hopefully 2. I think a 1 loss Clemson team gets the nod over a 1 loss Utah team.
There's a lot of hand wringing by Ute fans over the past 2 weeks, but they should rest easy. If we aren't a 1 loss team, we don't deserve to be there anyway, and I'd rather play in a real conference and know exactly where they stand as opposed to running the table in the MWC and never really getting the chance to know.
And hell, maybe they are a 1 loss team. Very rarely does a team go wire to wire without having a few weeks where they look "meh". Urban Meyer teams have had those moments, so have some Nick Saban teams. Bottom line is, if they're good enough to finish with 1 loss, they'll do it. If not, sit back, try to relax, and find a way to enjoy winning 10 games as a PAC 12 member.