Arnold Parker can't wait to see the bright lights of Las Vegas this weekend. It's home for the Utah senior, a place where he rose to prominence as an athlete — leading Cimarron Memorial High School to a state football championship in 1998 and earning Nevada Player of the Year recognition.

"It's going to be fun. It's always good playing in Vegas, especially coming home and everything," Parker said. "I know my hometown misses me and I miss them. Hopefully, I'll go out there and have a great game."

There's plenty of motivation to excel. A victory over UNLV would make the Utes bowl-eligible and allow them to control their own fate in the race for the Mountain West Conference championship.

On a more personal level, Parker hopes to continue a run of success over UNLV All-American candidate Jamaal Brimmer, who is also a Vegas native. The junior strong safety already has three interceptions this season to go along with 25 tackles.

"Brimmer, he's a cool dude. I remember my high school and his high school played each other and we used to blow them out by about 40 points per game," said Parker, whose history with Brimmer dates back to Pop Warner ball. "I'm undefeated against him . . . It better stay that way."

Brimmer, who graduated from rival Durango High, is a year younger than Parker. He was Nevada's top prep player in 1999 and developed into the MWC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2002. On Tuesday, College Football News named him a mid-season All-American.

"He's got a lot of hype out there. It's cool to go against him," said Utah receiver Paris Warren, who leads the nation with 8.2 catches per game. "We've just got to let him know where we come from — let him know what kind of skill level we come from.

"Our ones are as good as their ones," he added. "That's how we're going to go out there and compete."

Individual match-ups are taking a backseat to team efforts — same said of Warren's top national ranking.

"It's a good thing but, you know, I don't worry about it. I just play hard, and as long as we win I'm happy — no matter how many catches I get," Warren said. "It's something good, but I just look for the win. I play for the win. That's all I do."

Parker acknowledged its a feeling that permeates throughout the program. He said Utah has become a real college football team. The Utes are full of confidence and working hard to get better each and every day.