Overview
- Utah is No. 13 in the CFP rankings at 7-2 (4-2 Big 12) but does not control its path after losses to Texas Tech and BYU.
- ESPN’s model pegs the Utes as favorites in each remaining game—78.7% at Baylor, 85.4% vs. Kansas State, 80.8% at Kansas—with a 54.3% chance to win all three.
- Committee chair Mack Rhodes cited Utah’s convincing wins over Arizona State and Cincinnati as evidence of a respected résumé.
- Utah’s recent dominance includes an average victory margin of about 36 points, a No. 9 ESPN FPI rating, and top-10 national marks in scoring offense and defense.
- The most plausible title route requires specific results elsewhere, including Cincinnati beating BYU before taking another loss, Texas Tech winning out, and multi-team tiebreakers that could hinge on opponents’ conference win percentages.