Obviously if UW does end up in the playoff it could hurt rose bowl chances, but it could really hurt us if UW is left out and we lose to colorado. In that scenario, it could be sun or vegas bowl for a 3rd straight year.
Say, CU loses to WSU next week, UW beats WSU, USC & Stanford win out and we lose to Colorado.
In this scenario we end up at 9-3 3rd place in the south and tied for 5th place overall in the conference with stanford. WSU, USC, CU, Stanford and us would all end up at 9-3. USC would go to the championship game. The winner between SC and Washington goes to the Rose, and the runner up goes to the Alamo. At that point the conference is then choosing between between WSU, CU, Utah and Stanford for the next four bowl spots. Colorado or WSU would go to the Holiday bowl with the other going to foster farms. The sun bowl is then choosing between Utah and Stanford. Most likely we lose that battle and end up in vegas.
Had SC lost it increased UW playoff hopes which gives an automatic +1 in the bowl pecking order, and it also would have put USC at 8-4. Utah at 9-3 with a head to head win over SC, probably gets the bowl selection nod, which would have made our baseline the foster farms bowl. Now, a lost at CU most likely means vegas.
We’ve just got to win. Bottom line. We’ve faded the last two years at the end of the season, but I don’t see us doing that this year. This team is getting healthy, they seem very motivated and focused, and are playing their best football. I think we win out.
On the flip side. If we win out and win the title game, not only will we be going to the rose bowl and p12 champs, we will be the highest ranked team in the conference and playing in the rose bowl. That would be pretty cool, to be the flag bearer for the conference.
Iowa State @ 
Utah 
.
