SALT LAKE CITY — Each team has reached the midway point of the season, with realistic but drastically different goals still intact. The next six games apiece for BYU and Utah will determine the success of their respective seasons.

At the halfway point, let’s evaluate both teams and predict their outcomes.

BYU

Given a difficult portion of the schedule and a new coaching staff, a successful season for BYU is to finish 8-4. After a slow start, the Cougars are on track to reach the eight-win mark.

The offense was the culprit for the 1-3 start, averaging less than 20 points a game in the losses. But the Cougars have clicked in the last three games, averaging nearly 40 points.

As usually is the case, the players deserve most of the credit for scoring touchdowns. But Ty Detmer’s play calling has improved since the beginning of the season by putting his players in the position to succeed.

Detmer, in his first season as a coordinator in college, was wise to ditch the pass in favor of the run. For as much as possible over the next six games, BYU needs to give the ball to Jamaal Williams, who has rushed for 866 yards and 10 touchdowns.

In the right situations, and only then, Taysom Hill can be an effective passer. BYU, however, cannot rely on his arm to beat Power 5 teams.

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In BYU’s three losses, Hill has attempted an average of 40 passes a game. In the three wins, his average drops to 25 passes a game. In these cases, the numbers don’t lie.

BYU’s defense, for the most part, has been a pleasant surprise. Only Toledo’s offense, which did anything it wanted, has made the Cougars look silly.

At this point, anything less than seven wins would be a disappointment. With one mulligan, which probably will be used against undefeated Boise State on the blue turf next week, BYU probably only needs to beat Mississippi State and Cincinnati to reach eight wins, assuming Massachusetts, Southern Utah and Utah State don’t provide much competition.

Utah

Despite a bevy of injuries at running back and center, the Utes are in great position at 2-1 in the Pac-12 and 5-1 overall. Really, it is not a stretch to consider them the favorite to represent the South Division in the Pac-12 title game, presumably against Washington.

After repeatedly failing to generate a consistent passing game, Utah finally has found a keeper in quarterback Troy Williams. The junior college transfer, who began his college career at Washington, literally has been the calm amid the storm.

In the driving rain, Williams directed Utah on a 95-yard drive in the closing seconds of a thrilling come-from-behind win over USC. As long as Williams stays healthy, Utah has a strong chance to at least play in the Rose Bowl.

Decimated by injuries, Utah will start the second half of the season without its top three leading rushers. Only freshman Zach Moss, who has rushed for 309 yards, is due to return at some point.

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The South Division has become impossible to predict, with each week producing surprises. Three games into conference play, the two teams picked fifth and sixth in the division — Arizona State and Colorado, respectively — are tied with Utah for first place. The Utes, who were picked third, are the strongest of the three.

Nothing is assumed in this conference, meaning Utah has no sure wins the rest of the season. But with a strong defense and excellent special teams, Utah has to be considered the favorite in the South.

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