Last night the first College Playoff rankings of the season were released. This shows the rankings of the top 25 teams in the national all hoping for the chance to make the top 4 spot which would earn them a berth to the College Playoffs. So the big question on everyone’s mind is where does Utah rank?
The Utes were as high as #3 in the nation before they were decimated by unranked USC a couple weeks ago. Utah fell to #13 after that loss and with a win over Oregon State last week they still remain at lucky number 13. However, they have moved to #12 in the college playoff rankings heading into their match at Washington on November 7th.
So can the Utes fight their way to make it into the college playoffs? Anything is possible as we have seen this season but there are 7 teams ahead of the Utes that are still undefeated and have a tougher schedule (based on opinion).
Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, and Alabama all occupy the coveted top 4 spots. I feel that Clemson is a lock as they sit in first and have the easiest record of the other three. As long as they totally screw up they could go undefeated and walk into the playoffs.
The other three teams play some tough, ranked teams. If they all win out I would they they’d all leap frog Clemson but that is a hard “IF.”
If Utah wins out, I don’t think their schedule is tough enough to make it to the playoffs as the Utes only play on ranked team, #23 UCLA on November 21st.
You can be the judge though. Below is the rankings and upcoming matches for the top 12 teams in the rankings (as of November 3rd). Does Utah have a chance? What would have to happen for them to make it?
College Playoff Rankings
- Clemson – Record: 8-0
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 vs. # 16 Florida State
- 11/14 at Syracuse
- 11/21 vs. Wake Forest
- 11/28 at South Carolina
- LSU – Record 7-0
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 at #4 Alabama
- 11/14 vs. Arkansas
- 11/21 at #18 Ole Miss
- 11/28 vs. #19 Texas A&M
- Ohio State – Record 8-0
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 vs. Minnesota
- 11/14 at Illinois
- 11/21 vs. #7 Michigan State
- 11/28 at #17 Michigan
- Alabama – Record 7-1
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 vs. #2 LSU
- 11/14 at #20 Mississippi State
- 11/21 vs. Charleston Southern
- 11/28 at Auburn
- Notre Dame – Record 7-1
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 at Pittsburgh
- 11/14 vs. Wake Forest
- 11/21 vs. Boston College
- 11/29 at #11 Stanford
- Baylor – Record 7-0
Upcoming matches:
- 11/5 at Kansas State
- 11/14 vs. #15 Oklahoma
- 11/21 at. #14 Oklahoma State
- 11/27 at #8 TCU
- 12/5 vs. Texas
- Michigan State – Record 8-0
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 at Nebraska
- 11/14 vs. Maryland
- 11/21 at #3 Ohio State
- 11/28 vs. Penn State
- TCU – Record 8-0
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 at #14 Oklahoma State
- 11/14 vs. Kansas
- 11/21 at #15 Oklahoma
- 11/27 vs. #6 Baylor
- Iowa – Record 8-0
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 at Indiana
- 11/14 vs. Minnesota
- 11/21 vs. Purdue
- 11/27 at Nebraska
- Florida – Record 7-1
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 vs. Vanderbilt
- 11/14 at South Carolina
- 11/21 vs. Florida Atlantic
- 11/28 vs. #16 Florida State
- Stanford – Record 7-1
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 at Colorado
- 11/14 vs. Oregon
- 11/21 vs. California
- 11/28 vs. #5 Notre Dame
- Utah – Record 7-1
Upcoming matches:
- 11/7 at Washington
- 11/14 at Arizona
- 11/21 at #23 UCLA
- 11/28 vs. Colorado
