Officially midway through the college football regular season, it’s time to properly survey the four major conference races and where things stand in the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC.
The SEC and Big Ten will get multiple teams into the College Football Playoff — they combined for seven of the 12 spots last year — but for the other conferences it’s possible only the champion makes it.
That was the case for the Big 12 last year with Arizona State claiming the conference’s only playoff berth by beating Iowa State in the championship game. And the ACC likely would have gotten only one team in had a three-loss Clemson team not defeated one-loss regular-season champ SMU in the conference title game, causing the selection committee to take both.
So the conference races still matter.
The five highest-ranked conference champions in the final CFP rankings automatically qualify, meaning one of the Group of Five conference champs will be guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. As of now, that projects to be the AAC winner (with 6-0 Memphis and Navy and 5-1 South Florida, Tulane and North Texas the top contenders).
But for our purposes here, we’re going to hone in on the Power Four …
SEC Championship Race
| Team | SEC record | Overall record |
| T1. Alabama | 3-0 | 5-1 |
| T1. Ole Miss | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| T1. Texas A&M | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| 4. Georgia | 3-1 | 5-1 |
| T5. LSU | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| T5. Tennessee | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| T7. Missouri | 1-1 | 5-1 |
| T7. Oklahoma | 1-1 | 5-1 |
| T7. Texas | 1-1 | 4-2 |
| T7. Vanderbilt | 1-1 | 5-1 |
| 11. Florida | 1-2 | 2-4 |
| 12. South Carolina | 1-3 | 3-3 |
| T13. Arkansas | 0-2 | 2-4 |
| T13. Mississippi State | 0-2 | 4-2 |
| T15. Auburn | 0-3 | 3-3 |
| T15. Kentucky | 0-3 | 2-3 |
The Favorite: Alabama
The No. 6-ranked Crimson Tide is still getting slightly dinged in the AP top 25 poll by the season-opening loss to Florida State, but that has no bearing on the SEC standings. Alabama has reasserted itself as the team to beat here with three straight wins over ranked conference opponents — at Georgia, home vs. Vanderbilt and at Missouri. With quarterback Ty Simpson a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy and a well-rounded team on both sides of the ball, the Tide is proving hard to beat again.
Toughest remaining games: vs. No. 11 Tennessee (Oct. 18), vs. No. 10 LSU (Nov. 8), vs. No. 14 Oklahoma (Nov. 15), at Auburn (Nov. 29)
Top Challengers
Georgia: The Bulldogs’ lone loss came by three points to Alabama, and much has been made about Kirby Smart’s 1-7 record against the Tide. Much can also be made about what Smart’s teams have done against every other opponent. This may not be one of the best Georgia teams Smart has had, but it’s easier to believe in the Bulldogs as potential SEC champs than any other challenger on this list. That statement will either look strengthened or stale quickly as Georgia goes to unbeaten Ole Miss this weekend.
Toughest remaining games: at Ole Miss (Oct. 18), vs. No. 21 Texas (Nov. 18), vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech (neutral site, non-conference, Nov. 28)
Texas A&M: The Aggies have never reached the SEC title game since joining the conference in 2012 and before that won just one Big 12 title (1998) during 16 years in that league, which is all to say there’s still some skepticism despite No. 4 Texas A&M’s 6-0 start (including a 41-40 win at Notre Dame). The Aggies have opened conference play with wins over Auburn, Mississippi State and Florida, who are a combined 1-7 in the SEC. There’s no denying the Aggies are a good team and absolutely a program on the rise under second-year coach Mike Elko, but we’re taking a wait-and-see approach still. They’ll have plenty of opportunity to prove themselves the rest of the way.
Toughest remaining games: at No. 10 LSU (Oct. 25), at No. 16 Missouri (Nov. 8), at No. 21 Texas (Nov. 28)
Ole Miss: It’s fun to imagine Lane Kiffin’s Rebels upsetting the power structure in the SEC, but can they really do it? Ole Miss is undefeated and ranked No. 5 nationally but seems the most vulnerable of any top 10 team (along with No. 10 LSU). The Rebels barely got by lowly Washington State at home last week (24-21), and to put that in perspective the Cougars lost to North Texas by 49 points and to Washington by 35. Maybe that game proves to be the outlier and a wake-up call. But Ole Miss’ ranking is weighted heavily on a 24-19 win over a LSU team which itself may have an inflated ranking. The next two weekends will reveal a lot about the Rebels.
Toughest remaining games: at No. 9 Georgia (Oct. 18), at No. 14 Oklahoma (Oct. 25), at Mississippi State (Nov. 28)
Texas: Yes, the once left-for-dead Longhorns have forced their way back into this conversation with that 23-6 win over Oklahoma last week. If the defense can be that good and embattled QB Arch Manning can be just good enough, then Texas can’t be overlooked here. The Longhorns were the preseason No. 1 team in the country after all and have loads of talent on both sides of the ball if they can just harness it. They have a favorable runway to build some momentum now too with road games at Kentucky and Mississippi State and a home tilt with Vanderbilt the next three weeks.
Toughest remaining games: vs. No. 17 Vanderbilt (Nov. 1), at No. 9 Georgia (Nov. 15), vs. No. 4 Texas A&M (Nov. 28)
LSU: We’ll preface this by saying we don’t have great confidence that LSU is going to make it the rest of the way unscathed, and a second loss might knock the Tigers out of the championship game picture. But for now, LSU is still ranked at No. 10 with just one loss and a lot of benefit being given to Brian Kelly’s history and the talent on the roster, even if it hasn’t really materialized yet offensively as expected. The 24-19 loss to Ole Miss seems more reflective of where this team fits into the SEC hierarchy this year. More to the point, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if the Tigers are entirely unranked after this next three-game stretch.
Toughest remaining games: at No. 17 Vanderbilt (Oct. 18), vs. No. 4 Texas A&M (Oct. 25), at No. 6 Alabama (Nov. 8), at No. 4 Oklahoma (Nov. 29)
Tennessee: That being said, we’re maybe even more dubious about No. 11 Tennessee despite its 5-1 start. The Vols are an entertaining team, no question there, and the fact remains their only loss came in overtime to Georgia after missing a potential game-winning field goal late in regulation. But they also got pushed to the brink by Mississippi State and Arkansas and don’t have a notable win. Maybe that changes in the coming weeks.
Toughest remaining games: at No. 6 Alabama (Oct. 18), vs. No. 14 Oklahoma (Nov. 1), at Florida (Nov. 22), vs. No. 17 Vanderbilt (Nov. 29)
Our SEC Championship Game Pick
Alabama over Georgia: The Tide get the best of the Bulldogs for a second time and lock up a top 3 seed in the CFP.
Big Ten Championship Race
| Team | Big Ten record | Overall record |
| T1. Indiana | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| T1. Ohio State | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| 3. USC | 3-1 | 5-1 |
| T4. Iowa | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| T4. Michigan | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| T4. Minnesota | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| T4. Nebraska | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| T4. Northwestern | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| T4. Oregon | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| T4. UCLA | 2-1 | 2-4 |
| T4. Washington | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| 12. Illinois | 2-2 | 5-2 |
| 13. Maryland | 1-2 | 4-2 |
| T14. Michigan State | 0-3 | 3-3 |
| T14. Penn State | 0-3 | 3-3 |
| T14. Purdue | 0-3 | 2-4 |
| T14. Rutgers | 0-3 | 3-3 |
| T14. Wisconsin | 0-3 | 2-4 |
The Favorite: Ohio State
One might remember that Ohio State didn’t even play in the Big Ten championship game last year despite going on to win the national championship. It was Oregon over Penn State after both the Ducks and Michigan beat the Buckeyes in the regular season. This year, it’s looking more likely that Ohio State runs the schedule unscathed as it doesn’t have another ranked opponent to play (unless Michigan climbs back into the poll). The Buckeyes are the best defensive team in the country (6.8 points per game allowed) and have plenty of offensive firepower with QB Julian Sayin and star WR Jeremiah Smith leading the way.
Toughest remaining games: vs. Penn State (Nov. 1), at Michigan (Nov. 29)
Top Challengers
Indiana: The Hoosiers are No. 3 in the AP poll — their highest ranking ever — after a 30-20 win at Oregon (No. 3 at the time) last week. Indiana is for real and looks to be even better in Year 2 under coach Curt Cignetti. The path the rest of the way is pretty favorable, and with the tiebreaker over Oregon the Hoosiers would likely have to lose twice to not be in the conference championship game.
Toughest remaining games: at Penn State (Nov. 8)
Oregon: The Ducks aren’t dead yet after that loss to Indiana. They will be favored in all of their remaining games and should run the table. After all, that loss to the Hoosiers remains their only regular-season loss since the start of the 2024 season. Dan Lanning has this program rolling, but it will need Ohio State to lose or Indiana to lose twice if its going to return to the Big Ten championship game.
Toughest remaining games: at Iowa (Nov. 8), vs. No. 20 USC (Nov. 22), at Washington (Nov. 29)
USC: Are the Trojans really back after two down years (and a mostly down decade and a half)? Their lopsided 31-13 win over Michigan last week was very compelling, and 5-1 USC’s only loss came by two points on a last-second field goal on the road at Illinois. The defense has mostly continued to improve under second-year coordinator D’Anton Lynn, and the Trojans are a top-3 offensive team nationally in both yards (552.3 per game) and points (45.5) with QB Jayden Maiava one of the best in the conference and Makai Lemon/Ja’Kobi Lane as good as any WR tandem in the country. But the biggest tests remain …
Toughest remaining games: at No. 13 Notre Dame (Oct. 18), at No. 25 Nebraska (Nov. 1), at No. 8 Oregon (Nov. 22)
Michigan: The Wolverines have played three teams currently in the AP top 25 and gone 1-2 (a win over Nebraska and losses to Oklahoma and USC). That to the Trojans last week wasn’t even close, so Michigan seems to be in a lower tier than the others on the list but still maybe the next best in a crowded middle tier of the Big Ten. Especially with four straight wins over rival Ohio State — even last year — it feels right to at least mention the Wolverines here even as a longshot.
Toughest remaining games: vs. Washington (Oct. 18), at Maryland (Nov. 22), vs. No. 1 Ohio State (Nov. 29)
Our Big Ten Championship Game Pick
Ohio State over Indiana: Honestly, the outcome wouldn’t surprise either way if these two teams meet in the championship game. Ohio State won 38-15 when these teams met in the regular season last year, but that was then. The rematch would probably be a lot closer, but we’ll give the slight edge to the reigning national champs.
ACC Championship Race
| Team | ACC record | Overall record |
| T1. Duke | 3-0 | 4-2 |
| T1. Georgia Tech | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| T1. Virginia | 3-0 | 5-1 |
| 4. SMU | 2-0 | 4-2 |
| 5. Miami | 1-0 | 5-0 |
| 6. Pittsburgh | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| 7. Clemson | 2-2 | 3-3 |
| T8. Cal | 1-1 | 4-2 |
| T8. Louisville | 1-1 | 4-1 |
| T10. NC State | 1-2 | 4-3 |
| T10. Stanford | 1-2 | 2-4 |
| T10. Syracuse | 1-2 | 3-3 |
| T10. Virginia Tech | 1-2 | 2-5 |
| T10. Wake Forest | 1-2 | 4-2 |
| 15. North Carolina | 0-1 | 2-3 |
| 16. Florida State | 0-3 | 3-3 |
| 17. Boston College | 0-4 | 1-5 |
The Favorite: Miami
Disregard the standings showing Miami in fifth place. The No. 2-ranked Hurricanes have oddly only played one ACC game so far, so that’s purely a function of schedule. There is no question they are the team to beat and may actually be ready to take the next step under Mario Cristobal and truly push for a national title. Miami has compelling wins over ranked Notre Dame and South Florida teams (and also a Florida State team that was ranked at the time, but … yeah.) QB Carson Beck is a Heisman Trophy finalist, and every Cristobal team will always have a standard of toughness in the trenches. It will be a surprise if the Hurricanes aren’t undefeated entering the ACC championship game and aren’t a top 3 seed in the CFP.
Toughest remaining games: vs. Louisville (Oct. 17), at SMU (Nov. 1), at Pittsburgh (Nov. 29)
Top Challengers
Virginia: The No. 18 Cavaliers are one of the best stories in college football this year, in the rankings for the first time since 2019 thanks to a win over a then-No. Florida State team (that started the Seminoles spiral) followed by a win over previously-unbeaten Louisville. Is Virginia playing over its heads? Probably, but it has a veteran quarterback having a career year in well-traveled sixth-year senior Chandler Morris (1,428 passing yards, 11 TDs, 4 INTs, 4 rushing TDs), so it should remain feisty and has a very favorable schedule the rest of the way with no other ranked opponents.
Toughest remaining games: at Cal (Nov. 1), at Duke (Nov. 15)
Duke: The Blue Devils started 1-2 with non-conference losses to Illinois (ranked No. 11 at the time) and Tulane, but they’ve since turned it around in a big way with consecutive wins over NC State, Syracuse and Cal all by at least 12 points. They were picked 6th in the ACC preseason poll so it’s not a surprise they’re one of the better teams in the conference. Duke invested big NIL money to get Tulane QB transfer Darian Mensah, and he’s mostly delivered with 1,838 passing yards (second-best in the ACC), 15 TDs and 2 INTs. Frankly, he’s not had a bad game yet, with the Blue Devils’ defense more to blame for the early losses. Duke could absolutely make a run here and gets to play Georgia Tech (Saturday) and Virginia head-to-head still.
Toughest remaining games: vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech (Oct. 18), at Clemson (Nov. 1), vs. No. 18 Virginia (Nov. 18)
SMU: The Mustangs reached the ACC championship game last year and the CFP and were picked third in the conference’s preseason poll this season. Non-conference losses to Baylor and TCU knocked SMU out of the national rankings, but the Mustangs have looked strong in ACC play so far with comfortable wins over Syracuse (31-18) and Stanford (34-10). QB Kevin Jennings (1,658 passing yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs) has thrown picks in all but one game, though, and will need to minimize those mistakes moving forward as the road ahead is tough. SMU is also one of the few challengers on this list (along with Pittsburgh) that has to play Miami in the regular season (along with a road game at Clemson this week), so the margin for error will be slim. But the path is still there for the Mustangs, certainly.
Toughest remaining games: at Clemson (Oct. 18), vs. No. 2 Miami (Nov. 1), vs. Louisville (Nov. 22), at Cal (Nov. 29)
Georgia Tech: Another of the biggest surprises in college football, the No. 12 Yellow Jackets have their highest ranking since 2011, highlighted by an earlier win over then-No. 12 (but now unranked) Clemson. But the back half of the schedule is a lot more daunting, including the regular-season finale against non-conference rival Georgia (that obviously won’t impact the ACC race).
Toughest remaining games: at Duke (Oct. 18), at NC State (Nov. 1), vs. Pittsburgh (Nov. 22), vs. No. 9 Georgia (neutral location, non-conference, Nov. 28)
Clemson: The Tigers have been better since their 1-3 start, and the preseason league favorites may still be the second-most-talented team in the ACC, but with already two conference losses (and Georgia Tech owning that head-to-head tiebreaker) the path to the championship game is not so clear. Clemson still has a bunch of tough obstacles ahead too and still hasn’t shown enough to expect it to avoid any further stumbles the rest of the way.
Toughest remaining games: vs. SMU (Oct. 18), vs. Duke (Nov. 1), vs. Florida State (Nov. 8), at Louisville (Nov. 14), at South Carolina (non-conference, Nov. 29)
Pittsburgh: The Panthers started 2-2 and benched quarterback Eli Holstein and have looked like a different team since then, with freshman QB Mason Heintschel taking over and throwing for 644 yards and 6 TDs in wins over Boston College and at Florida State. He also had two picks in that win over FSU, so it remains to be seen how he settles in through a tough closing stretch of the schedule, but his arm is giving Pittsburgh a jolt at the moment.
Toughest remaining games: vs. NC State (Oct. 25), vs. No. 13 Notre Dame (non-conference, Nov. 15), at No. 12 Georgia Tech (Nov. 22), vs. No. 2 Miami (Nov. 29)
Louisville: Again, this is the most wide-open Power 4 conference race in terms of who the second-best team will be in the end. And it’s too soon to count out Louisville, when its only league loss is by three points to Virginia and it has a win over another team on this list (Pittsburgh). That said, that is the only notable win for the Cardinals, so their standing on this list is very tenuous and could be undone as soon as Friday as they play at Miami.
Toughest remaining games: at No. 2 Miami (Oct. 17), vs. Cal (Nov. 8), vs. Clemson (Nov. 14), at SMU (Nov. 22)
Our ACC Championship Game Pick
Miami over Duke: This may be our boldest pick yet, but Duke is coming on strong and has the talent and coaching to play its way into the championship game. Really, that second spot behind Miami is so wide open that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see several of the teams noted above slide into that title game matchup.
Big 12 Championship Race
| Team | Big 12 record | Overall record |
| T1. BYU | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| T1. Cincinnati | 3-0 | 5-1 |
| T1. Texas Tech | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| T4. Arizona State | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| T4. Baylor | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| T4. Houston | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| T4. Utah | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| T8. Iowa State | 2-2 | 5-2 |
| T8. Kansas | 2-2 | 4-3 |
| T8. Kansas State | 2-2 | 3-4 |
| T11. Arizona | 1-2 | 4-2 |
| T11. TCU | 1-2 | 4-2 |
| 13. Colorado | 1-3 | 3-4 |
| T14. Oklahoma State | 0-3 | 1-5 |
| T14. UCF | 0-3 | 3-3 |
| T14. West Virginia | 0-3 | 2-4 |
The Favorite: Texas Tech
The Red Raiders have found their footing in the NIL era, going aggressive in the transfer portal (ranked No. 2 in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings) to load up for this season, and it’s paying off. Their No. 7 national ranking is the program’s highest since 2008, and they aren’t just winning games — they’re dominating games. All six of Texas Tech’s wins have come by 24 or more points, including a 34-10 road win at Utah, which may well be the second-best team in the Big 12, and a 35-11 road win over a Houston team that has won the rest of its games. Quarterback Behren Morton (questionable this week with an ankle injury) has been excellent with 1,501 passing yards, 13 TDs and 3 INTs while Cameron Dickey has ignited the run game (591 rushing yards and 8 TDs). Texas Tech also ranks 9th nationally in total defense (256.8 YPG) with Stanford transfer David Bailey tied for the national lead with 8.5 sacks. Texas Tech is for real and a legit national contender.
Toughest remaining games: at Arizona State (Oct. 18), at Kansas State (Nov. 1), vs. No. 15 BYU (Nov. 8)
Top Challengers
Utah: The Utes got blown out by Texas Tech already, but they may yet get a rematch in the Big 12 championship game. They’ve won every other game by at least 25 points, including a 48-14 win at West Virginia and a 42-10 win over reigning Big 12 champ Arizona State (which was without starting QB Sam Leavitt). This could be longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham’s last season, and he’s intent on winning another conference title, noting he might have retired after last year if Utah had won the Big 12. New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier is a true dual-threat for the Utes, passing for 1,131 yards, 11 TDs and 3 INTs and rushing for 378 yards and 5 TDs so far. With already one league loss, though, the Utes may not be able to afford another and have a pivotal rivalry game with BYU this weekend.
Toughest remaining games: at BYU (Oct. 18), vs. No. 24 Cincinnati (Nov. 1), at Baylor (Nov. 15)
Arizona State: The reigning Big 12 champs took their only conference loss so far when star QB Sam Leavitt was out with injury and the offense totally flatlined without him vs. Utah. Leavitt is listed as probable to play this week in a spotlight showdown vs. Texas Tech. It kind of feels like a must-win for the Sun Devils, with Utah holding that head-to-head tiebreaker, but this remains a good Arizona State team that already has notable conference wins over Baylor and TCU. Leavitt is a proven offensive leader even if his numbers don’t pop off the page, and Jordyn Tyson (47 catches for 523 yards and 7 TDs) is one of the top wideouts in the country while running back Raleek Brown (573 rushing yards, 124 receiving yards) is a former five-star recruit and a dynamic talent.
Toughest remaining games: vs. No. 7 Texas Tech (Oct. 18), vs. Houston (Oct. 25), at Iowa State (Nov. 1), vs. Arizona (Nov. 28)
BYU: The Cougars are ranked No. 15, but they really haven’t played anyone of note aside from their overtime win at Arizona last week. BYU also doesn’t have a dynamic passing attack as freshman QB Bear Bachmeier has been a game manager with his arm but a viable rushing threat with 7 TDs on the ground. The Cougars also probably have the toughest remaining schedule of any team in the Big 12. It’s hard to see them making it through this without at least a couple losses.
Toughest remaining games: vs. No. 23 Utah (Oct. 18), at Iowa State (Oct. 25), at No. 7 Texas Tech (Nov. 8), vs. TCU (Nov. 15), at No. 24 Cincinnati (Nov. 22)
Baylor: The Bears have a big non-conference win over SMU and their lone Big 12 loss is by three points to Arizona State. QB Sawyer Robertson leads the conference with 2,058 passing yards and 19 TDs (with 4 INTs), Bryson Washington is fourth in rushing (557 yards and 5 TDs) while WR Josh Cameron (32 catches for 456 yards and 3 TDs) and TE Michael Trigg (29-439-4) rank fourth and sixth in receiving yards. So, yeah, Baylor can put up points on anyone and ranks ninth nationally in total offense (494.0 YPG). It’s interesting that has become the team’s identity under sixth-year head coach Dave Aranda, who was hired for his defensive prowess.
Toughest remaining games: at TCU (Oct. 18), at No. 24 Cincinnati (Oct. 24), vs. No. 23 Utah (Nov. 15), at Arizona (Nov. 22), vs. Houston (Nov. 29)
Cincinnati: The Bearcats jumped into the rankings this week at No. 24 after a 5-1 start, with the lone loss coming out of conference to Nebraska. The highlight so far has been a 38-30 win over then-No. 14 (now unranked) Iowa State, but that was against an injury-depleted Cyclones team. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby (1,448 passing yards, 14 TDs, 1 INT; 327 rushing yards, 5 TDs) is one of the better talents in the Big 12, but the toughest games are all ahead.
Toughest remaining games: vs. Baylor (Oct. 25), at No. 23 Utah (Nov. 1), vs. Arizona (Nov. 15), at No. 15 BYU (Nov. 22), at TCU (Nov. 29)
TCU: The Horned Frogs have no margin for error and can’t take another loss after already dropping conference games to Arizona State and Kansas State, but if there becomes a glut of two-loss teams (and ASU gets to three losses, which is certainly possible) TCU’s upside remains as good as any team on this list. Veteran QB Josh Hoover (1,893 passing yards, 18 TDs, 6 INTs) is one of the league’s best and he’s got a talented WR corps, but he’s had some bad picks this year. If he plays at his best the rest of the way, TCU will stay in the conversation here. The schedule is tough, but the Horned Frogs are talented enough to win out.
Toughest remaining games: vs. Baylor (Oct. 18), vs. Iowa State (Nov. 8), at No. 15 BYU (Nov. 15), at Houston (Nov. 22), vs. No. 24 Cincinnati (Nov. 29)
Houston: Like the ACC, there’s a logjam near the top of the standings and it’s simply too soon to write off any one-loss team. The Cougars have been one of the surprises in the conference under second-year coach Willie Fritz after finishing 4-8 last year. Their only loss so far came to Texas Tech, but they also don’t have a needle-moving win yet (Stephen F. Austin, Rice, Colorado, Oregon State, Oklahoma State). So, for now, Houston has to be acknowledged, but consider the Cougars a longshot to be in the Big 12 championship game.
Toughest remaining games: vs. Arizona (Oct. 18), at Arizona State (Oct. 25), vs. TCU (Nov. 22), at Baylor (Nov. 29)
Our Big 12 Championship Game Pick
Texas Tech over Utah: The Red Raiders have given no reason to doubt that they are a legit top-10 national team, even if it’s been so long since the program was considered in that way. There’s not a better coach in the league, meanwhile, than Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, so if we have to bet on one of these fairly evenly-matched teams to emerge and reach the championship game it’s going to be the Utes.