Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Coming off a Pac-12 Championship Game loss to Oregon, Utah dropped in the national rankings ahead of bowl season.
Utah, which finished the regular season with an 11-2 record, dropped six spots to No. 11 in the final College Football Playoff rankings of the season. With the loss, Utah narrowly missed out on earning an at-large bid to the Cotton Bowl, a New Year's Six bowl game.
The Utes dropped seven spots to No. 12 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and five spots to No. 10 in the USA Today Coaches Poll after the Utes fell in uncharacteristic fashion to Oregon in the championship game.
The Utes are the only team from the Pac-12’s South Division to make it to the championship game in back-to-back seasons, but they have yet to win a conference title. Utah will play Texas in the Alamo Bowl.
Oregon, which also finished the regular season with an 11-2 record, claimed a Rose Bowl appearance with their win over Utah and a No. 6 ranking in College Football Playoff rankings. The Ducks were also moved up to No. 7 in the AP Poll and a No. 6 ranking in the Coaches Poll.
Oregon will meet up with No. 8 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
USC, which came in at No. 22 in the College Football Playoff and AP Poll and No. 23 in the Coaches Poll this week, is the only other team from the Pac-12 ranked; however, Arizona State and California are receiving votes in the Coaches Poll. Washington is receiving votes in the AP Poll.
Related
No. 11 Utah to play unranked Texas in first-ever Alamo Bowl
After a successful 11-2 regular season record, Utah has been invited to play one last game in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 31.On Sunday morning, the College Football Playoff selection committee released its four playoff teams, with LSU claiming the No. 1 overall spot after 35-10 win over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. The Tigers will face No. 4 Oklahoma, who narrowly defeated Baylor in overtime in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ohio State, which was ranked No. 1 last week by the committee, dropped to No. 2 in the rankings and will face No. 3 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona. The Buckeyes trailed Wisconsin early in the Big Ten Championship game but roared back in the second half to defeat the Badgers 34-21.
The AP Poll and Coaches Poll each had LSU has its top team, followed by Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma.
