Utes rise to No. 5 in penultimate College Football Playoff Top 25

Finally, we can talk about postseason without fear of overlooking an opponent. For the Utes, after Tuesday's College Football Playoff top 25 rankings, it appears that the potential path is win and you’re in. Obviously there are still some outliers out there, like LSU needing to beat Georgia, and hoping that the committee doesn’t change their mind all of sudden and give OU the nod after a win over Baylor.

For the Utes, they know the stakes of what’s to come when they play Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Not only could they win their first Pac-12 title, but perhaps go to their first CFP. The stakes and focus toward this title game for the Utes will be at an all time high.

The top four remain unchanged, and plenty of teams moved up due to Alabama’s loss, who now sit at No. 12, eliminating them from CFP contention. Oregon moved up just one spot to No. 13. I was hoping they’d break the top 12. The Pac-12 Championship Game now pits the No. 5 team in the CFP vs the No. 13. Not as sexy as it could have been, but that’s a pretty good draw, overall. I can’t imagine if Utah wins on Friday, a win over a top 13 team won’t give them the ammo they need to move into the top four.

The G5 bid to a NY6 is down to Cincinnati, Memphis and Boise, with Memphis having poll position.

USC sits at No. 22, which helps the Utes as their lone loss.

Like stated above, the goal is in sight, and not only is Pac-12 championship hardware in sight with a tough game against Oregon, but perhaps something even grander than the Grand Daddy of them All. The question now is can they take that final step? It will be a battle against the Ducks, but now the Utes have a clearer idea of what’s at stake.