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Utah Football Up to No. 17 in Playoff Rankings

Utah's recent 20-17 double-overtime win in Palo Alto helped the Utes jump six spots in the playoff rankings to No. 17.

By Steven Ford
Utah rises six spots to No. 17 in this week's College Football Playoff Rankings.
Utah rises six spots to No. 17 in this week's College Football Playoff Rankings.

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.

<table border="1" dir="ltr" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup> <col width="41"></col> <col width="143"></col> <col width="56"></col> <col width="76"></col> <col width="156"></col> <col width="100"></col> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Rank&quot;]"><b>Rank</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Team&quot;]"><b>Team</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Last week&quot;]"><b>Last week</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Week 12 result&quot;]"><b>Week 12 result</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Toughest opponent left (per F/+)&quot;]"><b>Toughest opponent left (per </b><a href="http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/fplus">F/+</a><b>)</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;If the season ended today ...&quot;]"><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,&quot;Alabama (9-1)&quot;]">Alabama (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5]">5</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 25-20 vs. No. 1 Mississippi State&quot;]">Won 25-20 vs. No. 1 Mississippi State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Auburn&quot;]">Auburn</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Sugar Bowl vs. &quot;]">Sugar Bowl vs. Mississippi State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2]">2</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Oregon (9-1)&quot;]">Oregon (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2]">2</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Idle&quot;]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Oregon State&quot;]">Oregon State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Rose Bowl vs.&quot;]">Rose Bowl vs. Florida State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3]">3</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Florida State (10-0)&quot;]">Florida State (10-0)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3]">3</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 30-26 at Miami&quot;]">Won 30-26 at Miami</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Boston College&quot;]">Boston College</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Rose Bowl vs.&quot;]">Rose Bowl vs. Oregon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4]">4</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Mississippi State (9-1)&quot;]">Mississippi State (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]">1</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Lost 25-20 at No. 5 Alabama&quot;]">Lost 25-20 at No. 5 Alabama</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Ole Miss&quot;]">Ole Miss</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Sugar Bowl vs.&quot;]">Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5]">5</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;TCU (9-1)&quot;]">TCU (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4]">4</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 34-30 at Kansas&quot;]">Won 34-30 at Kansas</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Texas&quot;]">Texas</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;Ohio State (9-1)&quot;]">Ohio State (9-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8]">8</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 31-24 at No. 25 Minnesota&quot;]">Won 31-24 at No. 25 Minnesota</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Michigan&quot;]">Michigan</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;Baylor (8-1)&quot;]">Baylor (8-1)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7]">7</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Idle&quot;]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Kansas State&quot;]">Kansas State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;Ole Miss (8-2)&quot;]">Ole Miss (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10]">10</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Idle&quot;]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Mississippi State&quot;]">Mississippi State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;UCLA (8-2)&quot;]">UCLA (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11]">11</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Idle&quot;]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;USC&quot;]">USC</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;Georgia (8-2)&quot;]">Georgia (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,15]">15</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 34-7 vs. No. 9 Auburn&quot;]">Won 34-7 vs. No. 9 Auburn</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Georgia Tech&quot;]">Georgia Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;Michigan State (8-2)&quot;]">Michigan State (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,12]">12</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 37-15 at Maryland&quot;]">Won 37-15 at Maryland</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Penn State&quot;]">Penn State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;Kansas State (7-2)&quot;]">Kansas State (7-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,13]">13</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Idle&quot;]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Baylor&quot;]">Baylor</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;Arizona State (8-2)&quot;]">Arizona State (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6]">6</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Lost 35-27 at Oregon State&quot;]">Lost 35-27 at Oregon State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Arizona&quot;]">Arizona</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,14]">14</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Auburn (7-3)&quot;]">Auburn (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]">9</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Lost 34-7 at No. 15 Georgia&quot;]">Lost 34-7 at No. 15 Georgia</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Alabama&quot;]">Alabama</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,15]">15</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Arizona (8-2)&quot;]">Arizona (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,14]">14</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 27-26 vs. Washington&quot;]">Won 27-26 vs. Washington</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Arizona State&quot;]">Arizona State</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,16]">16</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Wisconsin (8-2)&quot;]">Wisconsin (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,20]">20</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 59-24 vs. No. 16 Nebraska&quot;]">Won 59-24 vs. No. 16 Nebraska</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Minnesota&quot;]">Minnesota</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,17]">17</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Utah (7-3)&quot;]">Utah (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,23]">23</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 20-17 (2OT) at Stanford&quot;]">Won 20-17 (2OT) at Stanford</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Arizona&quot;]">Arizona</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,18]">18</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Georgia Tech (9-2)&quot;]">Georgia Tech (9-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,22]">22</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 28-6 vs. No. 19 Clemson&quot;]">Won 28-6 vs. No. 19 Clemson</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Georgia&quot;]">Georgia</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,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,&quot;USC (7-3)&quot;]">USC (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;NR&quot;]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 38-30 vs. Cal&quot;]">Won 38-30 vs. Cal</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;UCLA&quot;]">UCLA</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,20]">20</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Missouri (8-2)&quot;]">Missouri (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;NR&quot;]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 34-27 at No. 24 Texas A&amp;M&quot;]">Won 34-27 at No. 24 Texas A&amp;M</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Arkansas&quot;]">Arkansas</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,21]">21</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Oklahoma (7-3)&quot;]">Oklahoma (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;NR&quot;]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Won 42-30 at Texas Tech&quot;]">Won 42-30 at Texas Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Oklahoma State&quot;]">Oklahoma State</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,22]">22</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Clemson (7-3)&quot;]">Clemson (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,19]">19</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Lost 28-6 at No. 22 Georgia Tech&quot;]">Lost 28-6 at No. 22 Georgia Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;South Carolina&quot;]">South Carolina</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,23]">23</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Nebraska (8-2)&quot;]">Nebraska (8-2)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,16]">16</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Lost 59-24 at No. 20 Wisconsin&quot;]">Lost 59-24 at No. 20 Wisconsin</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Minnesota&quot;]">Minnesota</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,24]">24</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Louisville (7-3)&quot;]">Louisville (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;NR&quot;]">NR</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Idle&quot;]">Idle</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Notre Dame&quot;]">Notre Dame</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,25]">25</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Minnesota (7-3)&quot;]">Minnesota (7-3)</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,25]">25</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Lost 31-24 vs. No. 8 Ohio State&quot;]">Lost 31-24 vs. No. 8 Ohio State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,2,&quot;Wisconsin&quot;]">Wisconsin</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,&quot;m\&quot;-\&quot;d&quot;,1]"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

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