SALT LAKE CITY — Oregon's chances for a College Football Playoff berth took a potentially critical hit Saturday when the No. 3 Ducks fell behind early and never gained any traction in a 38-7 loss to Utah before a record crowd of 52,724 fans in Rice-Eccles Stadium.
While the Utes clinched the Pac-12 South with the win, the Ducks (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12) still needed some help to clinch their own spot in the Pac-12 title game — either an Oregon State loss later Saturday, or a UO win over the Beavers next week. That would set up a rematch between Oregon and Utah on Dec.