3. Pac-12 Championship
Utah Utes over Oregon Ducks (Utah -6.5)
Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET; ABC; Levi’s Stadium; Santa Clara, Calif.
One of the things Tennessee football needs to make sure happens in order to see five SEC teams make New Year’s Six bowls is for nobody on the outside looking in to pull off an upset. Crucial to that is the Utah Utes beating the Oregon Ducks. Right now, Oregon is one spot below the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP rankings. Beating Utah would vault Oregon above Bama.
As a result, Vol Nation needs to be hoping that Utah wins this game Friday night. Of course, Utah has a heck of a lot more to play for, as they still have a shot at the College Football Playoff. Right now, they are No. 5, just on the outside looking in. But a win on Friday could certainly propel them into the top four, even with that loss to the USC Trojans.
A loss, though, is not likely to drop them below Alabama or even the Auburn Tigers. It’s just going to elevate Oregon. At that point, Alabama could be heading to something as lowly rated as the Outback Bowl while Auburn goes to the Citrus Bowl.
The goal for the Vols needs to be for both teams to get into the New Years Six. Utah beating Oregon is one step closer to making sure that happens. Oregon pulling off the win sets the SEC back en route to trying to get five teams into elite bowl games, and that’s something they don’t want to see.