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They've beaten Michigan. UCLA. USC.

How many name brands have to fall before Utah has "arrived?"

Kyle Whittingham bristles at the question.

"You've never arrived," he said, dismissing any such notion. "We don't feel we've ever arrived. As soon as we get in that situation, then somebody's going to smack you."

So far this season, the Utes have done the smacking.

While a 6-1 record and a No. 18 national ranking may hide some of Utah's big flaws, it was Bill Parcells who used to say, "You are who your record says you are."

Many of the things Utah fans sought before the season have been achieved. Bowl eligibility: Check. Sweep over Southern California schools: Check. Winning on the road: Check. National ranking: Check. Beating nationally ranked teams: Check.

But Utah's coaches and players are tearing up the checklist. Although they may not have expected as much early success, they're starting to embrace the idea that bigger, better things are still at stake. The Pac-12 South division is still within reach, and beyond that - well, it's still out there.

Whittingham was quick to say Utah doesn't necessarily think of itself as a "championship-caliber team," but there was a clear subtext: just not yet.

"It's amazing, words can't really describe what I'm feeling right now," quarterback Travis Wilson said. "But I know bowl-eligible isn't enough for this team. This team wants to go a long ways. … I don't think any players on this team are just content with being bowl-eligible."

While Utah's passing offense is still a question mark, and injuries piled up late in the game (center Saiosi Aiono and safety/corner Eric Rowe chief among them), the Utes do something well that's been missing the last two years: winning close games.

Entering the season, Utah was 4-8 in Pac-12 games decided by 10 points or less. This year, the Utes are 3-1, and each conference win has been decided in the fourth quarter or overtime.

Whittingham said the program identified its inability to finish as its biggest weakness and worked on it throughout the offseason. While a talent influx is helping - see Devontae Booker, Kaelin Clay, Jason Fanaika and Gionni Paul for evidence of that - the Utes seem to have deeper reservoirs when the closing minutes come around.

When the defense needed a stop, it got one by an inch. When Utah needed a quarterback to engineer a game-winning drive, Travis Wilson provided the touchdown pass.

It's more than a game: It's a streak. In Utah's last three wins, opponents have not been able to score on their final drive, and the Utes have.

"Everybody in our facility or on our team, we believe in ourselves," Fanaika said. "When it comes to making a stop, we believe we can do that. … Obviously the offense did their thing, too, with Travis and Kaelin and everybody. So it was a great all-around team win."

Though Utah hasn't put up the atmospheric offensive totals that other teams in the Pac-12 have, their ability to pull out the tight ones has built confidence that the Utes can keep winning.

As Whittingham sat at the postgame podium, a whoop of celebration echoed from the hallway of the South End Zone building.

"I'm proud of the way our guys hung in there," he said. "'Woo-hah' is right."

Twitter: @kylegoon —

AP Top 25

Record Pts Pv

1. Mississippi St. (46) 7-0 1,486 1

2. Florida St. (14) 7-0 1,453 2

3. Alabama 7-1 1,290 4

4. Auburn 6-1 1,267 5

5. Oregon 7-1 1,199 6

6. Notre Dame 6-1 1,161 7

7. Mississippi 7-1 1,095 3

8. Michigan St. 7-1 1,086 8

9. Georgia 6-1 1,074 9

10. TCU 6-1 1,030 10

11. Kansas St. 6-1 930 11

12. Baylor 6-1 839 12

13. Ohio St. 6-1 676 13

14. Arizona 6-1 669 15

15. Arizona St. 6-1 667 14

16. LSU 7-2 574 24

17. Nebraska 7-1 535 16

18. Utah 6-1 524 19

19. Oklahoma 5-2 430 17

20. West Virginia 6-2 379 22

21. East Carolina 6-1 366 18

22. Clemson 6-2 265 21

23. Marshall 8-0 184 23

24. Duke 6-1 121 NR

25. UCLA 6-2 106 25

Others receiving votes • Colorado St. 29, Southern Cal 22, Wisconsin 14, Stanford 9, Louisville 8, Missouri 7, N. Dakota St. 3, Oklahoma St. 2.