You asked why? Not how. So the answer seemed sarcastic. You were also correct that the Utes were in contention. They were knocked out the 2nd to last game of the season when the Carrington toe tap happened. Had they won, the CU/Utah game would have been been the decider in the South. As it was, a Colorado win and they were in. If Utah would won in Boulder it would have sent USC to the championship game against UW, who the Trojans had soundly defeated in Seattle earlier in the season, with Washington having the only real shot at the playoff with a win.