What have we learned from the College Football Playoff rankings? Conference matters, and strength of schedule is not just lip service. The Utah Utes (7-3, 4-3) are ranked No. 17 this week by the CFP selection committee. Utah's only losses are to conference foes (Washington State, No. 13 Arizona State, and No. 2 Oregon), and the Utes feature wins against No. 19 USC and No. 9 UCLA.
Utah's recent 20-17 double-overtime win on the road against Stanford was clearly seen as a good win, raising the Utes six spots in the rankings. Two of the Utes three losses are seen as good losses, and the two ranked wins, especially over a now No. 9-ranked Bruins squad, doesn't hurt Utah's profile at all. Utah's strength of schedule is seen as stronger than an 9-2 Georgia Tech, an 8-2 Missouri (out of the high-profile SEC), and an 8-2 Nebraska. At the beginning of the season, many Utes fans bemoaned the gauntlet Utah would have to navigate this season, but the success of the team is being recognized against such a brutal schedule.
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<tbody>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rank"]"><b>Rank</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Team"]"><b>Team</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Last week"]"><b>Last week</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Week 12 result"]"><b>Week 12 result</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"If the season ended today ..."]"><b>If the season ended today ...</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]">1</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Alabama (9-1)"]">Alabama (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5]">5</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 25-20 vs. No. 1 Mississippi State"]">Won 25-20 vs. No. 1 Mississippi State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Auburn"]">Auburn</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sugar Bowl vs. "]">Sugar Bowl vs. Mississippi State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2]">2</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Oregon (9-1)"]">Oregon (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2]">2</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Idle"]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Oregon State"]">Oregon State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rose Bowl vs."]">Rose Bowl vs. Florida State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3]">3</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Florida State (10-0)"]">Florida State (10-0)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3]">3</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 30-26 at Miami"]">Won 30-26 at Miami</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Boston College"]">Boston College</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rose Bowl vs."]">Rose Bowl vs. Oregon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4]">4</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mississippi State (9-1)"]">Mississippi State (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]">1</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lost 25-20 at No. 5 Alabama"]">Lost 25-20 at No. 5 Alabama</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ole Miss"]">Ole Miss</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sugar Bowl vs."]">Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5]">5</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"TCU (9-1)"]">TCU (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4]">4</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 34-30 at Kansas"]">Won 34-30 at Kansas</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Texas"]">Texas</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,">New Year's bowl</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6]">6</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ohio State (9-1)"]">Ohio State (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8]">8</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 31-24 at No. 25 Minnesota"]">Won 31-24 at No. 25 Minnesota</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Michigan"]">Michigan</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,">New Year's bowl</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7]">7</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Baylor (8-1)"]">Baylor (8-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7]">7</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Idle"]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Kansas State"]">Kansas State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,">New Year's bowl</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8]">8</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ole Miss (8-2)"]">Ole Miss (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10]">10</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Idle"]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mississippi State"]">Mississippi State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,">Orange Bowl vs. Georgia Tech</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]">9</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"UCLA (8-2)"]">UCLA (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11]">11</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Idle"]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"USC"]">USC</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,">New Year's bowl</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10]">10</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Georgia (8-2)"]">Georgia (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,15]">15</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 34-7 vs. No. 9 Auburn"]">Won 34-7 vs. No. 9 Auburn</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Georgia Tech"]">Georgia Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,">New Year's bowl</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11]">11</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Michigan State (8-2)"]">Michigan State (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,12]">12</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 37-15 at Maryland"]">Won 37-15 at Maryland</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Penn State"]">Penn State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,">New Year's bowl</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,12]">12</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Kansas State (7-2)"]">Kansas State (7-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,13]">13</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Idle"]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Baylor"]">Baylor</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,13]">13</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arizona State (8-2)"]">Arizona State (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6]">6</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lost 35-27 at Oregon State"]">Lost 35-27 at Oregon State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arizona"]">Arizona</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,14]">14</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Auburn (7-3)"]">Auburn (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]">9</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lost 34-7 at No. 15 Georgia"]">Lost 34-7 at No. 15 Georgia</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Alabama"]">Alabama</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,15]">15</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arizona (8-2)"]">Arizona (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,14]">14</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 27-26 vs. Washington"]">Won 27-26 vs. Washington</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arizona State"]">Arizona State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,16]">16</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Wisconsin (8-2)"]">Wisconsin (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,20]">20</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 59-24 vs. No. 16 Nebraska"]">Won 59-24 vs. No. 16 Nebraska</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Minnesota"]">Minnesota</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,17]">17</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Utah (7-3)"]">Utah (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,23]">23</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 20-17 (2OT) at Stanford"]">Won 20-17 (2OT) at Stanford</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arizona"]">Arizona</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,18]">18</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Georgia Tech (9-2)"]">Georgia Tech (9-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,22]">22</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 28-6 vs. No. 19 Clemson"]">Won 28-6 vs. No. 19 Clemson</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Georgia"]">Georgia</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]">Orange Bowl vs. Ole Miss</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,19]">19</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"USC (7-3)"]">USC (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"NR"]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 38-30 vs. Cal"]">Won 38-30 vs. Cal</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"UCLA"]">UCLA</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,20]">20</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Missouri (8-2)"]">Missouri (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"NR"]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 34-27 at No. 24 Texas A&M"]">Won 34-27 at No. 24 Texas A&M</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Arkansas"]">Arkansas</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,21]">21</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Oklahoma (7-3)"]">Oklahoma (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"NR"]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Won 42-30 at Texas Tech"]">Won 42-30 at Texas Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Oklahoma State"]">Oklahoma State</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,22]">22</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Clemson (7-3)"]">Clemson (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,19]">19</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lost 28-6 at No. 22 Georgia Tech"]">Lost 28-6 at No. 22 Georgia Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"South Carolina"]">South Carolina</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,23]">23</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Nebraska (8-2)"]">Nebraska (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,16]">16</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lost 59-24 at No. 20 Wisconsin"]">Lost 59-24 at No. 20 Wisconsin</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Minnesota"]">Minnesota</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,24]">24</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Louisville (7-3)"]">Louisville (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"NR"]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Idle"]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Notre Dame"]">Notre Dame</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,25]">25</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Minnesota (7-3)"]">Minnesota (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,25]">25</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Lost 31-24 vs. No. 8 Ohio State"]">Lost 31-24 vs. No. 8 Ohio State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Wisconsin"]">Wisconsin</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"m\"-\"d",1]"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>