2015
1. Bama (12-1) 2. Oregon (12-1) 3. Florida State (13-0) 4. Ohio State (12-1)

2016
1. Clemson (13-0) 2. Bama (12-1) 3. Michigan State (12-1) 4. Oklahoma (11-1)

2017
1. Bama (13-0) 2. Clemson (12-1) 3. Ohio State (11-1, no conference championship) 4. Washington (12-1)

2018
1. Clemson (12-1) 2. Oklahoma (12-1) 3. Georgia (12-1) 4. Bama (11-1, no conference championship)

2019
1. Bama (13-0) 2. Clemson (13-0) 3. ND (12-0) 4. Oklahoma (12-1)

In two different years a college blue blood without a conference championship still made it in over the PAC12 champion. That’s bias, and fair or not it’s real (I would argue mostly unfair). The PAC12 has missed the playoffs entirely 3 of the first 5 years, most of any conference. That tells you about the perception of the PAC12, and fair or not it’s real (I would argue mostly fair).

For Utah to make the playoffs, they would need to win out, particularly with a convincing win over Oregon; they would need Georgia to lose again; they would need Bama to lose again; and they would need Oklahoma to lose again. Theoretically possible, but I just don’t see it. Too many ifs that Utah doesn’t control.