When Illinois faces Michigan Saturday, it will be a matchup of two teams on opposite ends of the football spectrum.

Michigan is second in the Big Ten behind an undefeated conference record – a stark contrast to the Illini, who continue to search for a conference victory.

The No. 13 Wolverines will be Illinois’ third ranked opponent in four weeks – and the pressure is on for the Illini.

And while Illinois hasn’t won a matchup between the two teams since 1999 – and it’s been more than 20 years since Michigan fell at Memorial Stadium – the Wolverines are cautious not to write off the game.

“In the Big Ten, things like (upsets) can happen,” said Michigan fullback Kevin Dudley. “Going into games, especially on the road, there’s so much talent in the Big Ten. You’re supposed to win them, but you never know.”

Michigan has the right equipment to secure a victory, with players stepping up on all sides of the field.

One of the surprises for the Wolverines this season has been the standout play of strong safety Ernest Shazor, who leads the team with 40 total tackles and was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday.

Shazor said defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann coached him to play closer to the line of scrimmage, improving his ability to tackle.

“Ernest keeps his head up throughout the game,” said Michigan defensive tackle Gabe Watson. “He keeps talking to guys throughout the game, saying things like, ‘We need you to get to the quarterback on this play.’ If a certain player or team hits a big play he’ll say, ‘We need to get the ball now.’ It’s nice to have him around because he is high-intensity and has a motor.”

The improved tackling has been important for the Wolverines’ defense, which has been consistently inconsistent throughout the season. Head coach Lloyd Carr said Watson has been key to holding the defense together.

“I think Gabe has made tremendous strides from where he was a year ago,” Carr said. “… the real question mark is how good does he want to be and what is he willing to do to get there? Certainly he has all the abilities.”

The defensive line’s improvement has benefited from the team’s depth. Defensive end Pat Massey said rotating players and the return of defensive end Jeremy Van Alstyne has made the defense stronger than was expected. Van Alstyne had six tackles in 10 games in 2003, but he suffered a knee injury in the spring and originally was not expected to play this season.

“Guys are playing with a lot more confidence,” Massey said. “Earlier in the season, I think guys were just worried that they were going to mess up. They were just playing within themselves and not really going out there and being athletes and playing like they can … As soon as you start making a play or two, then you start feeling better about yourself and you start making progress from there.”

One aspect of the game Michigan has struggled with is its turnovers, giving up 15 in six games.

“Three times in the five games that we’ve won, we’ve lost the turnover battle and still won the game,” Carr said. “That’s not going to continue to happen. We’ve got to do a better job in terms of our kicking game, catching punts.”

And while it seems like Michigan has a clear advantage, Carr said he knows Illinois holds a few good cards.

“Their offensive line has really improved over a year ago,” Carr said. “There’s a whole lot of those guys. (Bucky) Babcock, I think, is an excellent player. But they’re playing with a lot of confidence. They’re rushing the football extremely well.”