NEW ORLEANS » Utah quarterback Brian Johnson tuned into the Sugar Bowl last year. He didn't watch it for very long.

There were better things on TV than the 41-10 trouncing that BCS buster Hawaii endured at the hands of a Georgia team that was among the best in the Southeastern Conference last season.

As fate would have it, Johnson's Utes are preparing to play in the Louisiana Superdome one year later, testing their 12-0 record against one of this season's SEC powerhouses.

“;It would be huge for our school to beat someone as well known as Alabama,”; Johnson said. “;We've just got to go out there and play our game and not let the magnitude of the game get to us—go out there and realize once we're on the field, we're playing football and everything's going to take care of itself.”;

Hawaii took the same attitude a year ago and many were curious to see what the Western Athletic Conference champs, who averaged a gaudy 529.2 yards and 45 points per game during their unbeaten regular season, could do against the Bulldogs.

It wasn't pretty for those wearing leis. Warriors quarterback Colt Brennan was sacked eight times and left the game early. Hawaii turned the ball over six times, four on interceptions (three by Brennan) and twice on fumbles.

Tomorrow, Johnson must deal with an opponent coached by a renowned defensive strategist in Nick Saban. Yet Utah's senior quarterback simply cannot envision the Utes getting rolled by the Crimson Tide like Hawaii was a year ago by Georgia.

“;If you look at it, it's clear that we're a much better team than Hawaii was last year and I think us (and Hawaii) being two non-BCS teams, that's where the comparison starts and that's where it ends,”; Johnson said. “;You look at their strength of schedule last year and you look at the teams they played to get there and look at what we did—I think it's completely different. ... We deserve to be here and hopefully after (the game) there won't be any more questions about that.”;

Contrary to what it says on T-shirts seen in New Orleans referring to Utah as a member of the WAC, the former WAC members have played in the Mountain West since 1999, a league that has held its own against BCS conferences this season.

Utah won at Michigan of the Big Ten and won at home against Oregon State of the Pac-10. The victory over the Beavers was one of five against bowl teams, the others being over Air Force, Colorado State, TCU and BYU.

Johnson said he heard about the T-shirts advertising Utah as a member of the WAC and said it wasn't the first time something like that happened this year. Following the Michigan game, someone asked him what that win meant for the WAC.

“;Hopefully everybody will know what conference we're in after this game,”; Johnson said.

Alabama has been to 12 previous Sugar Bowls, winning eight. This is Utah's first Sugar Bowl, but not its first BCS bowl. The Alex Smith-led Utes soundly beat Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl following the 2003 season.

However, Pitt, winner of the Big East that season, was widely considered the weakest of BCS conference champs. That left Utah still looking for a measure of respect.

It would be hard for anyone to discount a victory over Alabama (12-1), which spent more than a month at No. 1 and didn't lose until it played Florida in the SEC championship.

“;Without question this is the best opponent Utah's had in over 100 years of college football,”; Johnson said. “;Everything is right there in front of you for a chance to put yourself in the history books.”;