The Utes’ emergence in the BCS standings has many people wondering if the team could do the unthinkable and completely stick it to the elites.
Yes, that entails making it to the national championship game. With three weeks left in the season along with championship week, many believe there is a slight possibility the Utes could do it. What would it take?
USC will not lose a single game this season and will make it to the national title game.
With that said, many other things will have to happen if the Utes are to make the big game.
Oklahoma must go down
Oklahoma must lose this week to Texas A&M. The win will not only help the Utes in the computer rankings since Utah beat down the Aggies, but the Sooners also have to lose at least once and it can’t be in the Big 12 title game. If the Sooners go undefeated through the rest of the season and lose in the Big 12 game, they will likely be ahead of Utah in the standings, plus another team will earn an automatic berth.
But even if the Sooners lose to the Aggies, they will probably have to lose again if the Utes are to jump them.
Besides the Aggies, the Sooners play Nebraska and Baylor. Umm, go Bears. It could happen in the conference title game, but have you seen that division? Just to make it interesting, let’s just say they lose a second time and move onto the other contenders.
Auburn must be burned
Auburn may have to lose twice as well if the Utes are to jump them.
The Tigers cannot lose to Georgia next
week. If the Bulldogs defeat the Tigers, they have a good chance of jumping the Utes. However, if Auburn wins, the Bulldogs will stay behind us for the rest of the year.
If the Tigers have to beat the Bulldogs, then one of their losses must come at Alabama, which is not impossible. Their next loss must come in the SEC title game.
Now, the fun part
This is where the standings could get a little tricky for the Utes. With the Volunteers breathing down the Utes’ necks and virtually a lock for the SEC title game, a victory over Auburn in the championship would probably vault them over Utah.
There are only two ways for the Utes to jump ahead of both SEC teams, and either way is unlikely. If Georgia defeated Auburn and then the Bulldogs lost to either Kentucky or Georgia Tech, the Utes could end up ahead of both SEC powers. Yeah, fat chance of that happening, not to mention Auburn would have to lose to Alabama and go on to defeat Tennessee in the conference title game.
The alternate route is much more feasible. Tennessee has to lose to Notre Dame this week and then go on to defeat the Tigers in the title game.
Downhill from here
With that matter settled, the rest is easy to figure out.
Wisconsin has to lose once to Minnesota, Michigan State or Iowa. The latter two are on the road.
Cal has to go down just once against either Stanford or at Southern Mississippi, which is very possible.
The final component the Utes’ championship quest is for Texas to either lose to Oklahoma State this week, or against Texas A&M in the final week of the season.
All together, this formula will allow the Utes to get into the title game.
Yeah right-let’s just be happy if Utah makes the BCS.