SALT LAKE CITY — In a season that once wooed the nation, the Utah football team is aiming to get back on track. With just two games left in regular play, improving the record is mandatory.

Here is a look at a few storylines as the Utes prepare to face the Bruins.

Do or die

UCLA comes to town Saturday in a must-win competition at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Both the Bruins and Utes will walk on the field knowing if they lose, the road to the Pac-12 championship is a dead-end.

For Utah to appear in the championship, it needs to win its two remaining games against UCLA and Colorado and have USC fall to either Oregon or UCLA. If the Trojans win out, they're in the conference championship, thanks to a 42-24 victory over the Utes in Week 7 that serves as the tiebreaker.

"They have probably the most athletic offensive line we've faced all year," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said of the Bruins. "They really have no weakness. Across the board, they're very talented."

UCLA's journey to the championship is much simpler: Win out. The team is in a good spot, controlling its own destiny. Wins over Utah and USC will put the Bruins as the South representatives at Levi's Stadium come Dec. 5.

"The way we see it is we're in the quarterfinals," said UCLA defensive line coach Angus McClure. "You have to win in the quarterfinals to get to the semifinals. Win the semifinals and you're in the championship game. That's the way we are looking at it as a program."

Report: Devontae Booker to miss remainder of regular season

Utah senior running back Devontae Booker will miss the remainder of the regular season, according to ESPN 700 radio host Sean O'Connell.

Banged up Booker

Having the star running back off the field due to injury isn't something a team wants, but that's exactly what is happening to the Utes.

On Thursday afternoon, Sean O'Connell of ESPN700 tweeted that Devontae Booker suffered a meniscus injury that required surgery.

In the first half of last weekend's game against Arizona, Booker suffered the injury. Meanwhile, junior college transfer Joe Williams took over. Booker returned in the second half, but was never up to par.

"Devontae thought he was going to be able to return at full strength, but it was very obvious that he wasn't. We probably should have put Joe back in again and given him a few more touches, but what was encouraging was that while he was in there he provided a spark for us and looked really good," said Whittingham.

Williams rushed seven times for 37 yards against the Wildcats. He provided a spark, as Whittingham describes, for the team when it needed it most.

"He's the heir apparent to Devontae so that bodes well for next year. Although it was only seven carries he had, he did a good job with it," added Whittingham.

This time last year

The Utes are 2-4 against the Bruins in Salt Lake City with wins in 2007 and 2011.

Utah trails the series with UCLA 10-3 after picking up its first-ever win in Los Angeles last year. The game was nail-biting, closing out the win was Andy Phillips with a 29-yard field goal with 34 seconds remaining. It put the Utes up 30-28 in the Rose Bowl against the No. 8 team in the country. The Bruins had one chance to score, but missed a 50-yard field goal with no time on the clock.

In the first quarter, quarterback Kendal Thompson replaced Travis Wilson. Thompson went 10-of-13 and finished with 95 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown pass. He also ran 83 yards, behind Booker, who rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown.

As for the defensive side of the ball, safety Tevin Carter scored on a 27-yard interception return and the unit sacked Brett Hundley 10 times. Defensive end Nate Orchard had a team-high 11 tackles and tied the school record with four sacks.

To get back into a dominating rhythm, the defense's mindset is to bring its pride to the field with the help of the leading linebacker duo Gionni Paul and Jared Norris.

"We're among the league leaders in just about every category so we expect that they'll rebound and come back and play well this weekend," Whittingham said of his defense.

Saturday's game will begin at 1:30 MST. It will air on FOX with Joe Davis, Brady Quinn and Kris Budden commentating.

Holli Joyce is a University of Utah communications graduate and enjoys keeping up with the Utah Utes, Utah Jazz and Seattle Seahawks. Follow her on Twitter @Holli_Alexa.

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