30 games that will eventually decide the 12-team College Football Playoff

29. Utah vs. UCF: Oct. 29

The Big 12 might be the most fun league in the country this season. Yes, the SEC is going to be insane with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas, but the Big 12 replacing them with Utah, Colorado, and more intriguing teams makes it the one league where anything can happen. Heck, Kansas has a chance to win the division and make the College Football Playoff. 

However, this is focusing on Utah, which is currently the highest-ranked team in the division, which is interesting since they are only 12th in the league. The Big 12 is guaranteed a spot in the Playoff, so Utah sees its opportunity in its first year in the Big 12.

However, there are some traps along the way. The Big 12 is always prone to a surprise, so we keep an eye on what looks to be a trap game for the Utes. Utah’s last seven opponents on the schedule are not ranked as of now. They avoid many of the harder teams in the Big 12, especially in the latter part of their schedule. Yet, this game against UCF is interesting.

Gus Malzahn has this team in a much better place than last season. There was too much “new” in Central Florida, and the Knights were getting used to a new division. Unlike Utah, UCF has a year in the Big 12 under its belt. Utah might be pushing for a spot in the Big 12 Title Game here, and UCF could either play spoiler or they could be in the mix. It seems preposterous after a 3-6 record in 2023, but they were seven points away from literally going 6-3 last season. If they can avoid mistakes and get a little luck, expect a much better season from UCF, and they could even be the surprise team fighting for a Playoff spot after so many years claiming they should have had a chance to make it.