Right now, Utah is tied for 3rd in the PAC-12. If they were to beat Arizona and Arizona State, they would make the PAC-12 title game.
Finishing 3rd gets you a bid to the Holiday Bowl (remember that one?) against Big 10 #4. Right now, that would be Nebraska or Minnesota. That is a $2.4 million payout bowl. When was the last time BYU played for more than $1 million?