How the USC vs. Utah game affects the College Football Playoff race

A pair of Pac-12 contenders meet in Salt Lake City this weekend as Utah hosts USC, and as it turns out, the game could have an impact on how the College Football Playoff eventually looks.

That's according to the Football Power Index computer prediction model, which forecasts future results based on scores and schedules to date.

And when looking at this matchup, it appears one team has an outsized chance to use the outcome as a springboard to making the playoff.

What it means for Utah

Not much, apparently. Coming into the game, Utah has just a 1.1 percent chance to make the playoff, but could see those odds almost double by defeating USC, to 2 percent, and falls to under 1 percent with a loss.

That's despite placing first in the Pac-12 with a projected per-game scoring margin of plus-16.4 points against an average team on a neutral field.

Utah's remaining schedule: at Washington State, vs. Arizona, vs. Stanford, at Oregon, at Colorado

What it means for USC

A lot more: USC has a 34 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff by defeating Utah, thereby staying undefeated and moving to 7-0.

A loss pushes the Trojans down to 10 percent owing to the computers not respecting the team's strength of schedule, just 55th in FBS right now.

By winning out but not winning the Pac-12 title, USC has a 22 percent chance to make the playoff, compared to a 92 percent shot to make the final four by winning out and claiming the conference championship.

USC's remaining schedule: at Arizona, vs. California, vs. Colorado, at UCLA, at Notre Dame

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College football rankings

According to AP top 25 poll

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Alabama
4. Clemson
5. Michigan
6. Tennessee
7. USC
8. Oklahoma State
9. Ole Miss
10. Penn State
11. UCLA
12. Oregon
13. TCU
14. Wake Forest
15. NC State
16. Mississippi State
17. Kansas State
18. Syracuse
19. Kansas
20. Utah
21. Cincinnati
T-22. Kentucky
T-22. Texas
24. Illinois
25. James Madison

(FPI)

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