SALT LAKE CITY — In a matter of two weeks, Utah fell short in a close game to Washington and had a bye the following week. Yet, Utah jumped up in the national rankings — as high as five spots in one poll — and is considered a Top 15 program in the country.
But is Utah really a Top 15 program at 7-2? National rankings are arbitrary, particularly for teams outside the top five. Even ranking teams 1-5 is an inconsistent measure. However, it's an innate ability within us to want to sort things in hierarchical terms — a way to give order to a complex, uncertain world.