Seeing predictions that have the Utah Utes in the Playoff is crazy. Multiple national media pundits have picked the Utes to end the season among the top four teams, including Lee Corso on College Gameday. Corso even has the Utes winning a Playoff game (against the reigning National Champions the Clemson Tigers) before falling to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the title game.
When you think of preseason projections to the Playoff, it is usually filled with a bunch of blue blood programs, not a team like Utah. No former BCS Buster has made the Playoff (though there is an argument that the TCU Horned Frogs should have made the Playoff in 2014).