Winning solves everything.
Sagarin has us at #10, S&P+ has us #12. Both systems favor us in the rest of our games.
Despite the love we’re getting in the rankings, the narrative is essentially unchanged. We’re a game up on everyone in the south in the loss column. If we lose one of our last three conference games, the only way another team passes us is if the loss is to either ASU or Colorado (both 2-3 in conf), and if that winner wins all of their remaining conference games. So, the chaos of this weekend has given us a nice cushion for the remainder of the season. Best case scenario is to win out – less desirable is losing one of our last three, but we would still be in good position to win the south – lose two and we would need a lot of help to be south champions.
So, let’s do some projections for the Pac12 championship game!!!
Utah v Wazzu: both S&P+ and Sagarin give us a W
Utah v UW: S&P+ predicts a loss, Sagarin a win
Utah v Furd: both systems say we win
Personally, I would love to see a Utah v Wazzu championship game.
Here’s something else I thought was interesting:
S&P+ ranks our offense at #42, and predicts that we end the season averaging 31.8 points per game (we are actually averaging 31.6 ppg). Last year, we ranked #55 in Off S&P+, and were predicted to average 29.5 ppg (which was spot on – that is what we averaged). Connelly warns against comparing S&P+ numbers across years, and recommends using rankings for historical comparisons. So, moving up 13 places in the offensive rankings seems like good progress to me. I want to do a more in depth post comparing this year’s offense to last year’s offense, but Connelly is updating the S&P+ numbers today, so I’ll have to wait for those numbers and put something together later this week.
Just win, baby!!!!!
Utah @ 
Baylor 
.
