LAS VEGAS (AP) -Utah coach Kyle Whittingham says the last time his team was in Sin City, it left with a ``defining moment'' that helped spark two years of success.

Shutouts, apparently, can be very humbling - and the Utes lost 27-0 to UNLV when they last came to Las Vegas in 2007.

Utah linebacker Stevenson Sylvester says he hopes nobody remembers that as he returns to his hometown and a crowd of family and friends.

The No. 24 Utes have won 25 times since then and lost twice. Utah visits UNLV this year after a three-week climb bank into the national rankings.

Utah was knocked out of the AP Top 25 after losing at Oregon on Sept. 26.