[BostonCard]

Here's the bottom line:

Cases where a Utah win helps Stanford:
1) UW wins the head-to-head, but has one other conference loss (plus Utah); Stanford's only conference loss is to UW - Utah win sends Stanford to the Pac-12 championship.
2) Stanford wins the head-to-head, but has two other conference losses; UW's loss to Stanford is its only other conference loss (beyond Utah); no other Pac-12 North team has a record that sends it to the P12 championship - Utah win sends Stanford to the Pac-12 championship.
3) Neither Stanford nor UW are going to the Pac-12 championship, but otherwise have similar resumes.  A Utah win sends Stanford to a better bowl than UW.

Cases where a UW win helps Stanford:
1) Stanford is a one-loss Pac-12 champion and there are 5 P5 one-loss champions (or an SEC one-loss non-champion).  A win over a highly ranked UW might give Stanford a better resume compared to at least one of the other one-loss champions.
2) Stanford is a two-loss Pac-12 champion and there is at least one other two-loss P5 champion and (and no one loss P5 non-champions).  See above.
3) Stanford is not the Pac-12 champion, but is being considered for a NY6 bowl (and the Pac-12 champion will not be going to the playoff).  Playing a more highly rated UW would give Stanford a better resume compared to other non-champions being considered for a NY6 bowl.
4) Stanford is not going to the Pac-12 championship, but Stanford and Utah have otherwise similar resumes.  A Utah loss sends Stanford to a better bowl than Utah.

It's hard to do all the permutations and hypotheticals, so I default to "which team do I like more".  Go Utes!

BC

[BostonCard]

Here's the bottom line:

Cases where a Utah win helps Stanford:
1) UW wins the head-to-head, but has one other conference loss (plus Utah); Stanford's only conference loss is to UW - Utah win sends Stanford to the Pac-12 championship.
2) Stanford wins the head-to-head, but has two other conference losses; UW's loss to Stanford is its only other conference loss (beyond Utah); no other Pac-12 North team has a record that sends it to the P12 championship - Utah win sends Stanford to the Pac-12 championship.
3) Neither Stanford nor UW are going to the Pac-12 championship, but otherwise have similar resumes.  A Utah win sends Stanford to a better bowl than UW.

Cases where a UW win helps Stanford:
1) Stanford is a one-loss Pac-12 champion and there are 5 P5 one-loss champions (or an SEC one-loss non-champion).  A win over a highly ranked UW might give Stanford a better resume compared to at least one of the other one-loss champions.
2) Stanford is a two-loss Pac-12 champion and there is at least one other two-loss P5 champion and (and no one loss P5 non-champions).  See above.
3) Stanford is not the Pac-12 champion, but is being considered for a NY6 bowl (and the Pac-12 champion will not be going to the playoff).  Playing a more highly rated UW would give Stanford a better resume compared to other non-champions being considered for a NY6 bowl.
4) Stanford is not going to the Pac-12 championship, but Stanford and Utah have otherwise similar resumes.  A Utah loss sends Stanford to a better bowl than Utah.

It's hard to do all the permutations and hypotheticals, so I default to "which team do I like more".  Go Utes!

BC