TUCSON, Ariz. — For a few hours on Saturday the epicenter of the Pac-12’s College Football Playoff hopes resided in a 108-mile radius in the desert. Games at Arizona and Arizona State altered the late-season landscape for a conference that has been represented in the four-team CFP just once in its first five years of operation.
When the dust settled, Utah was left standing. The seventh-ranked Utes defeated Arizona 35-7. Up the road in Tempe, sixth-ranked Oregon was upset by Arizona State 31-28.
The Utes (10-1), who need a win over Colorado this weekend to reach the Pac-12 Championship Game and a meeting with Oregon, are expected to move at least into the No. 6 spot — where they reside in both the latest Associated Press and coaches rankings — that is currently occupied by the Ducks (9-2) when the next rankings are released by the 13-person selection committee on Tuesday (5 p.m., ESPN). It’ll be the third of six weekly announcements as teams jockey for inclusion in the playoffs and New Year’s Six bowls.
Besides Oregon, the only other top 10 team in the CFP rankings to lose this past week was Penn State (9-2). The Nittany Lions dropped a 28-17 decision at No. 2 Ohio State (11-0).
No. 1 Louisiana State (11-0) overpowered Arkansas 56-20, while No. 4 Georgia (10-1) edged Texas A&M 19-13 and No. 5 Alabama (10-1) handled Western Carolina 66-3. No. 3 Clemson (11-0) had a bye. In other scores, No. 9 Oklahoma (10-1) knocked off TCU 28-24 and No. 10 Minnesota (10-1) defeated Northwestern 38-22.
Although there wasn’t a whole lot of shaking in the top 10, the Pac-12’s bright future was dimmed. On ESPN.com, senior writer Heather Dinich noted that Oregon is now out of the playoff picture with its second loss.
“While the league turns its hopes to Utah, the Ducks’ loss also opens the door for Alabama, Oklahoma, or possibly a second Big Ten team if Minnesota were to upset Ohio State in the conference title game,” Dinich wrote. “It also means the Pac-12 can have a two-loss champ if the Ducks win, and will somewhat devalue a win for Utah because the Ducks will now drop in the ranking.”
From a historical perspective, though, all five previous CFP national semifinals have featured one team that was either sixth or seventh entering the final three weeks of rankings.
The breakthroughs include:
- 2018 — Oklahoma, No. 6 to No. 4.
- 2017 — Georgia, No. 7 to No. 3.
- 2016 — Washington, No. 6 to No. 4.
- 2015 — Oklahoma, No. 7 to No. 4.
- 2014 — Ohio State, No. 6 to No. 4.
For Utah to join the mix, wins over Colorado and Oregon are a must. The Utes may also need some help along the way. The situation, however, isn’t being openly addressed by those connected to the program — at least that was the case after the game at Arizona Stadium.
“I follow the coaches mantra that Colorado’s next. Because I think we’ve learned over and over again that if you think too far ahead what can happen in this conference, not only, but also everywhere in the country you see that,” said Utah director of athletics Mark Harlan. “I love our position. I love where we’re at and with these guys I’m very confident on where it’s going to end as well.”
Armed with a seven-game winning streak, Utah is on a roll. The Utes have outscored the opposition 263-61 during the run.
“I’m excited where we’re at,” said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. “We’re sitting here at 10-1 with one regular-season game left.”
Thinking beyond that, though, isn’t happening.
Whittingham insists Oregon’s loss to ASU doesn’t matter and he doesn’t care, adding that the Utes will have their hands full with Colorado this week.
“That’s our objective and so whatever else is happening is none of our business,” said Whittingham, who added that a lot of things are of no concern to the Utes.
It’s all business at this point. Whittingham noted that it’s never easy and winning should not be taken for granted. Nor, he continued, should anyone get bored with winning — especially in the Pac-12.
Whittingham said on any given week things can happen if you’re not ready to play.
Case in point: Colorado’s improbable 20-14 victory over Washington on Saturday. The Buffaloes (5-6) now come to Salt Lake City this week seeking bowl eligibility,
Whittingham said things start Monday through Friday. That’s when they get their work in. The bottom line in games is making plays.
There’s plenty of determination to succeed.
“Teams don’t know what we are doing,” said quarterback Tyler Huntley. “They haven’t got the beat on how we come at them. But we’re coming straight at them. They’ve got to be ready to play every time we touch the field.”
Huntley isn’t fretting about the CFP rankings. He made that clear following the triumph at Arizona.
“We’ve just got to continue to win out and that is going to take care of itself,” said Huntley, who praised the coaching staff for putting the players in great position.
Linebacker Francis Bernard agreed with Huntley that the situation is “just going to take care of itself as we continue to do our job winning games and dominating.” Bernard said the team is well aware that the CFP committee is going to decide things.
“We’ll just leave it at that,” Bernard said. “Because we can’t do anything but continue to do our thing and win.”
Utes on the air
Colorado (5-6, 3-5) at No. 6 Utah (10-1, 7-1)
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
Radio: ESPN 700AM
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Utah determined to ‘continue to do our thing and win’ as Utes’ College Football Playoff stock rises - Deseret News
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