Here's what's at stake when the Utes face the Oregon Ducks

The University of Utah Utes have an outside chance, at best, of making the College Football Playoffs this year.

• Yes, but: It all comes down to Saturday's matchup against the Oregon Ducks.

Why it matters: With two games left in the regular season, the Utes are running out of real estate to prove to the CFP selection committee they deserve a shot at a national championship.

• Having already lost two games, they need as many signature wins as they can get to bolster their resume.

State of play: Enter the Ducks. They are currently ranked No. 12 in the AP's top 25 and CFP rankings.

• Utah is No. 10, according to AP and committee rankings.
• A win on the road against a ranked team looks good on paper. Utah's lone win against a ranked team came against USC about a month ago. (A candidate for game of the year.)
• That won’t get the job done given they lost to a ranked UCLA and an unranked Florida to start the season.

What's at stake: Everything. The Utes won the Pac-12 championship for the first time in school history last year. A win at Oregon gives them a chance to defend their title.

• A Pac-12 championship also bolsters their chances of getting into the aforementioned CFP.

• Of note: They would need a lot of other scenarios to play out too.

What we're watching: How well they respond to the challenge. Utah has had a recent knack for making big games exciting. They lost a nailbiter to The Ohio State University in last year's Rose Bowl and won an exhilarating game against USC.

• But they need to be more than exciting in Eugene, Oregon. If they want to play in a major bowl game or compete for a national title, Saturday's game is a must-win.

How to watch: Kickoff is at 8:30pm on ESPN.