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American Football2 min read

Latest bowl projections favor both Utah, BYU to make College Football Playoff. One even predicts a rematch

Utes are the lone unbeaten team in the Big 12 and leading the latest projections, while Cougars’ résumé is still strong despite team’s first loss
Latest bowl projections favor both Utah, BYU to make College Football Playoff. One even predicts a rematch

Brandon covers sports for the Deseret News, with an emphasis on the University of Utah and the NFL.

Going into the final week of action in October, both BYU and Utah are viewed as College Football Playoff contenders and it’s reflected in the latest bowl projections.

The No. 6 Utes are the lone unbeaten team remaining in the Big 12, after beating then-No. 14 Houston 21-13 last Saturday to improve to 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in league play.

The No. 8 Cougars suffered their first loss last Saturday, falling 39-31 to UCF in double overtime to drop to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 action. BYU, though, has its win over then-No. 2 Notre Dame to bolster its CFP résumé.

The Deseret News took a look at seven bowl projections released this week, and in each of them, both Utah and BYU are included in the CFP field.

If the Utes and Cougars finish the season strong, there is a solid chance that both of these rivals — who play each other on Nov. 7 — could end up representing the Big 12 in the playoff.

Here’s a look at the latest bowl projections for every Big 12 team following Week 8 of the 2026 season.

Note: Bonagura has Utah beating Georgia and advancing to the CFP semifinals before losing to No. 1 seed Miami in the Sugar Bowl. He also has BYU beating Wake Forest and advancing to the CFP quarterfinals before losing to No. 2 seed Ohio State.

Other Big 12 bowl projections

Note: Schlabach has Utah beating BYU and advancing to the CFP quarterfinals before losing to No. 1 seed Miami.

Other Big 12 bowl projections

Note: Dochterman has the winner of BYU-Alabama facing No. 2 seed Ohio State in the Rose Bowl in the CFP quarterfinals, and the winner of Utah-Oregon State facing No. 4 seed Miami in the Fiesta Bowl in the CFP quarterfinals.

Other Big 12 bowl projections

Note: McMurphy has Utah beating Boise State and advancing to the CFP quarterfinals before losing to No. 4 seed UCLA in the Fiesta Bowl.

Other Big 12 bowl projections

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It was published on October 28, 2026 and last updated on October 29, 2026. The time of the story is shown in your own time zone on the page.

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