This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Those who hunt for so-called "X-factors" in football games needn't look any further than the turnover margin when the Utes take on Michigan on Saturday.

Both coaches agree: That's where the game will be won or lost. And neither team's defense has been all that great at creating those chances thus far this year.

"Turnover battle is huge every week," Kyle Whittingham said. "Right now on the season we're even in the turnover margin. We're doing a very good job offensively taking care of the football. We're doing a very average job, at best, of taking the ball away. My guess is whoever wins the turnover margin will win this game - that's how important this is."

The not-so-subtle call out of the defense doesn't fall on deaf ears. Senior safety Brian Blechen winced just a second as Whittingham spoke that particular adjective: "average."

The secondary doesn't want to be seen that way, Blechen said. The unit knows there's picks to be had: Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner has thrown four interceptions already this year, and the Wolverines had three turnovers in the first half alone against Miami of Ohio.

While Michigan coach Brady Hoke said Monday "we've got to do a better job" taking care of the ball, Blechen wished the opposite.

"Those interceptions, they help the offense more than fumbles," he said. "This game, I think we gotta get a couple. Those chances will be there too, especially if it's a close game. The quarterback can't always eat it on third down, he's going to have to throw it up."

There will also be pressure on quarterback Travis Wilson to keep doing what he's been doing: keeping the ball safe. After throwing a 1-to-1 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions last year, the junior hasn't tossed it to the other team once through two games while notching six touchdown passes.

"I just need to keep on playing how I've been playing," he said. "Take easy throws, make smart decisions with it."

Prepared for passing game • No strangers to mobile quarterbacks this year, the Utes said Monday they see Gardner as a tough match-up. Weighing in at 6-foot-4 and 216 pounds, Gardner is completing 68.4 percent of his passes and has thrown for five touchdowns - solid numbers aside from the previously mentioned interception figure.

When Gardner has struggled in the past, some Michigan fans have called for him to switch to a different position But Blechen, a former quarterback himself, said there's a lot to like about Gardner's film.

"It looks like he understands the system," he said. "He doesn't try to do too much. But when he has to, he's a great athlete, he's got a strong arm. He's got good receivers around him and a big O-line. He can get you on the ground or in the air."

Whittingham said last week that freshman quarterback Donovan Isom was playing Gardner on the scout team. But the Utes are still wondering about another one of Michigan's potential weapons.

Michigan's top-shelf receiver Devin Funchess didn't suit up for the Redhawks, casting doubt that he'll be available for Saturday's game with the Utes. Funchess still leads the Wolverines' receiving corps with 16 receptions, 202 yards and three touchdowns in only two games. Asked about the 6-foot-5 wideout's health, Hoke said he didn't feel like discussing it.

While Funchess would likely be a match-up struggle for the Utah secondary if he's healthy, Blechen said he's preparing for Michigan's passing game to be tough either way. Amara Darboh had 88 yards and a touchdown in his first start last weekend, while starting tight end Jake Butt caught another score.

"After watching their game against the Redhawks, I don't know who his backup receiver was, but the rest of the receiving corps, they stepped up," he said. "The running game helped that too. All their receivers at Michigan are scholarship receivers. You can't really expect to go in and key in on one guy. Even with Funchess gone, we're going to have to play assignment-sound D."

Advantage on offense? • After shutting out Miami in the second half and holding the Redhawks to 33 rushing yards, Michigan's defense is not to be taken lightly, Wilson said.

But that doesn't prevent Wilson from seeing a potential edge on offense. The Utes believe they can challenge the Wolverines with their quick pacing and talent on the edge in the toughest test Dave Christensen's offense has faced so far.

"I think this week is going to be a great advantage for us and our tempo game," Wilson said. "I know their offense likes to huddle up, so I think it's a great advantage for us, and for our defense as well, they get a little rest between plays. But for our offense, we've got to keep the tempo up, and running our plays and see if we can get them unlined and out of formation."

Both Whittingham and Wilson paid complements to the Michigan front seven, which has helped the team rank No. 7 nationally in total defense. Senior Frank Clark is particularly tough at defensive end: He had 12 tackles for a loss last season and recovered two fumbles on his way too all-Big Ten honors.

The secondary could be a different story. In their toughest game so far against Notre Dame, Michigan struggled against the Everett Golson-led Irish passing attack, giving up 226 yards and three scores.

Wilson hopes Dres Anderson and Kenneth Scott will help him find a similar advantage against a pair of 5-foot-10 corners who've only truly been tested once this year.

"Obviously they have good defenders, and they stick with their wide receivers a lot," he said. "But I think Kenneth and Dres will do a great job of getting open. They always find ways of getting open. Not a lot of people can hang with Dres, as well. So that's going to be a big test for them. I don't see them shutting down both Kenneth and Dres this Saturday."

Conference confidence • When co-starters Devontae Booker and Bubba Poole room together on the road, they don't go out on the town, Booker said. Both are laid-back and both love to watch other teams play.

"I'd pretty much watch football all day, if I could," he said.

Booker said he watched USC lose to Boston College on Saturday, when UCLA also had a tough time topping Texas and Arizona State quarterback Taylor Kelly went down with injury. Utah's expectations have been high since the season started, he said, but the early struggles of their conference mates have raised the bar even higher.

"Now that we're seeing them barely edging out teams, it gives us a better opportunity to say, 'Yeah, we could get these guys,'" he said. "Not saying that we couldn't get them before, but just based off of how they were playing, I think we've got a really good chance of beating those guys."

Kyle Goon and Matthew Piperkgoon@sltrib.com and mpiper@sltrib.comTwitter: @kylegoon and @matthew_piper