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LOS ANGELES -- Although Clay Helton is beginning his first full season as Southern Californias head coach, this transplanted Southerner has been around the West Coasts most glamorous college football program long enough to know its already time to start winning again.At USC, the bar is set high, Helton said. Its about championships. And if you dont like that bar, dont take the job.After six years as a steadying influence on the perpetually troubled Trojans during the tenures of fired coaches Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian, Helton is finally in charge of a program that hasnt won a Pac-12 title since 2008.Thats the longest drought since the leagues genesis as an eight-team circuit in 1968, and the Trojans thirsty fans arent eager to wait through another rebuilding season. Neither is new athletic director Lynn Swann -- who took over after Helton had been given the permanent job by departing Pat Haden.Luckily for them, USC already has plenty of pieces in place for a resurgent season, including its usual stockpile of blue-chip talent. The Pac-12 Souths lack of a clear-cut favorite leaves the Trojans with ample reason to believe they can reach the Pac-12 title game -- where Stanford routed them last year.Helton doesnt have much of a rebuilding job to do. His offense is stocked with a veteran offensive line, JuJu Smith-Schusters fleet of receivers, and tremendous tailbacks Justin Davis and Ronald Jones II.Returning defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast also has plenty of five-star pieces, but Pete Carroll was the last coach to turn all that talent into a powerhouse when it really mattered. Helton realizes hell be compared to those dynastic teams of the past decade until he creates his own identity for the Trojans.The clock is already ticking.Heres what to know about USC:PICK A PASSER: Helton should make his choice on a starting quarterback by next weekend -- about two weeks before the season opener. Max Browne is in his fourth season on campus, finally out of Cody Kesslers shadow. Redshirt freshman Sam Darnold has made Heltons choice tougher than expected. No matter who is chosen to go first, the other quarterback will be ready to step in.CAMS BACK: One breakout star on last seasons defense was playmaking linebacker Cameron Smith, but the freshman missed the last four games with a knee injury. He returns to provide steady play on a unit that must replace several major parts, including a defensive line missing six of its top seven players from last year.SHARING IS CARING: The Trojans will share the Coliseum for at least the next three years with the Los Angeles Rams, who only have four home games before the Trojans regular season ends Nov. 26. Theyll play back-to-back home games twice -- but since the Trojans play on Saturdays, they wont get the worst of any chewed-up turf. The Coliseum groundskeepers also appear to have stepped up their game, so the arrangement could be no problem.SEASON OPENER: After losing his final two games last season as the Trojans permanent coach, Helton will continue his tenure on Sept. 3 with a trip to Arlington, Texas, to play defending national champion Alabama at the Dallas Cowboys palatial stadium. It sounds like a foolproof recipe for a third straight defeat, but Helton only sees it as an opportunity for the memorable moments expected by any player with college footballs elite programs.KEY GAMES: Even after Alabama, USCs schedule is rough on a first-year coach. September alone includes visits to Stanford and Utah, and the Trojans have back-to-back road games at Washington and UCLA in November before returning for the annual intersectional rivalry game with Notre Dame. Sounds tough -- and sounds great to Helton. Play Alabama, play Notre Dame, play the Pac-12 schedule, he said. Its what dreams are made of.PREDICTION: After the ridiculous tumult of the past six seasons, USC could benefit from a calm, sensible fall of steady growth, even if it doesnt culminate in a Pac-12 championship. Helton knows all about the Trojans lofty expectations, and he realizes Swann will be looking closely at a coach he didnt hire. 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Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Stitched Diamondbacks Jerseys . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. JONESBORO, Ark. -- Logan Woodside passed for three touchdowns and a career-high 371 yards Friday night to lead Toledo to a 31-10 win over Arkansas State in the season opener for both teams.Woodside hit 23 of his 31 throws and got help from Cody Thompson, who hauled in five of the passes for a career-high 174 yards, including a touchdown and a 54-yard grab in the third quarter to set up Toledos final TD of the game. Michael Roberts caught the other two TD passes, a 5-yarder in the second quarteer and a 22-yard catch in the fourth.ddddddddddddKareem Hunt punched in a touchdown from the 1 and Jameson Vest had a 42-yard field goal as Toledo piled up 556 total yards to Arkansas States 266.Arkansas State struck first with a 43-yard field goal set up by Chris Humes fumble recovery late in the first quarter, and got a touchdown in the fourth from Armond Weh-Weh. ' ' '