Bowl Projections For Utah After Cracking College Football Playoff Rankings
Nov 10, 2021, 1:08 PM
The Utah football team runs onto the field before a game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Utah Utes on October 16, 2021, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, (Photo by Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah football made their debut in the College Football Playoff top 25 rankings of the 2021 season and the bowl projections are updated.
The College Football Playoff committee put Utah at No. 24 in the latest rankings that was released on Tuesday. They are one of two Pac-12 teams that are in the ranking, alongside Oregon at No. 3.
With the new rankings out, national outlets released updated bowl projections, some of which will make Utah fans happy.
Bowl Projections For Utah Football
Bill Bender of Sporting News has Utah going to the Alamo Bowl to face Baylor. Utah last appeared in the Alamo Bowl in 2019 when they lost to Texas. Bender has Oregon playing in the Rose Bowl against Michigan State.
Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com has the Ducks just outside of the CFP at No. 6 and playing the Rose Bowl against Michigan State. He is similar to Bender’s projection, having the Utes face Baylor in the Alamo Bowl.
Take a look at the full #CFBPlayoff selection committee rankings for games played through November 6.
Where does your team rank?
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— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) November 10, 2021
Brett McMurphy of the Action Network is projecting Oregon winning the Pac-12 Championship and making the College Football Playoff, facing Oklahoma. That means McMurphy is putting Utah in the Rose Bowl against Michigan State.
Erick Smith of USA Today is on the side of Palm and Bender of not having Oregon in the CFP. He has the Ducks playing Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Smith put Utah in the Alamo Bowl against Baylor.
There are a couple of scenarios that could get Utah into the Rose Bowl. If the win their final three games of the regular season, including Oregon next week. They will also need to beat the Ducks in Las Vegas in the Pac-12 title game. There is also another way that is not ideal but it would get the Utes to Pasadena. If Oregon runs the table the rest of the regular season and beats Utah in the title game, that would get them in the College Football Playoff. That would make Utah the second best team in the Pac-12 and would earn a bid to the Rose Bowl.
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for KSLSports.com, Co-Host of Faith, Family and Football podcast with Clark Phillips III and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports.
