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SALT LAKE CITY — Halfway through the college football season, BYU and Utah are holding out different goals that each may find difficult to achieve.
The Utes, who've had to rely on a mishmash of lineups due to the well-documented rash of injuries, still have a shot at a third consecutive Pac-12 championship. Considering the constant shuffling at quarterback, which has included using a safety taking snaps in the Wildcat formation, remaining nationally ranked all season is an impressive accomplishment.
For the Cougars, coming off a thoroughly embarrassing performance against TCU, any shot at playing in the Big 12 championship game is nothing but a pipedream. Still mathematically alive at 1-2, BYU has reset its goals to become bowl eligible.
Following is a look at each team with six games down and another six remaining.
Utah Utes
Accounting for all the shuffling on offense, making the championship game this season would be incredible. But don't make any non-refundable deposits for the trip to Las Vegas in December just yet. The 2-1 Pac-12 record (5-1 overall) is largely circumstantial, built on lesser competition.
Not to downgrade the wins over Cal and UCLA, which are not necessarily bad teams, but Utah's schedule turns more difficult over the back half. The only gimme remaining is Arizona State, which is off to its worst start at 1-5 in 80 years.
Still, with Halloween looming, the Utes deserve plenty of credit for finding enough ways to stay in contention. An outstanding defense, mixed in with a splash of occasional offense, can keep a team in virtually every game.
At this rate, as the results prove, this is the blueprint for Utah to succeed. Anything else might be unrealistic, with the two best weapons on offense still not in uniform.
Quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe have yet to play in a game this season, denying any chance the Utes had to resemble a potent offense. Until further notice, with no need to give Rising any practice reps until his doctor fully clears him, expect much of the same.
For now, forget about Rising-like greatness at quarterback. The merry-go-round between Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson has stopped back on Barnes.
The former walk-on, who began the season as the starter and then was benched in the next week, is back in charge. Barnes provides enough of a passing threat to at least prevent the opposition from stacking the line of scrimmage.
There's also a resurgent running game, surprisingly led by Sione Vaki, who also plays safety in his spare time, and former quarterback Ja'Quinden Jackson. A healthy Jackson, combined with Vaki's surprise breakthrough, increases Utah's chances starting this week against USC in Los Angeles.
Can the Utes put up 30 points in the Coliseum? The defense may have to chip in to get there.
The same goes for Oregon the following game and then two weeks later against Washington in Seattle. The game in Tucson against Arizona, which demolished nationally-ranked Washington State last week, also looms late next month.
BYU Cougars
At 4-2 overall, the Cougars still can have a decent season, but it does seem like they are at a crossroads. The loss against TCU was that bad, certainly enough to lessen some of the good feelings created after beating Arkansas and Cincinnati.
At 3-3 going into the game, the Horned Frogs are not close to the team that reached the national championship game last season. Yet, playing with a backup quarterback, they demolished BYU in every aspect.
Assuming losses to No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 8 Texas, the Cougars probably need to beat a 3-4 Texas Tech team that could start its third-string freshman quarterback. A loss at home could put bowl eligibility in doubt.
BYU needs to jumpstart the offense or face no postseason for the first team since 2017. Ranking among the worst FBS teams in total offense, the run game has been virtually non-existent.
