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UNLV
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No. 15 USC Opens 2018 Campaign With Home Bout vs. UNLV
August 26, 2018 | Football, Features
*It's just the second time the teams have met. The first time: in 1997, when then-USC head coach John Robinson got his 100th collegiate victory (he became UNLV's head coach 2 years later).
*USC has won its last 16 home games in the Coliseum.
*Fans will experience a Coliseum under renovation in 2018, requiring some adjustments this season to transit, parking, tailgating and stadium access. A new south-side tower is being construction (and new seats have been installed on the south side). Capacity is down to 78,000-plus.
*USC, which was 11-3 last year and won the Pac-12 Championship Game (its most wins and first league title since 2008), returns 13 starters from 2017. Last fall, the Trojan offense put up its highest total yardage average (484.1) since 2005 and had 600-plus yards of total offense in 3 games, while the defense led the nation in sacks (43), had 24 takeaways and was stingy in the red zone. But the Trojans lost last season's leading passer, rusher and receiver, as well as some key defensive performers.
*The Trojans are led by head coach Clay Helton, who has won nearly 75% of his games at Troy and had more wins (21) in his first 2 full seasons than any USC coach. He is 16-0 in the Coliseum.
*QB JT Daniels, a true freshman who graduated a year early from high school to join the Trojans this summer, has won the starting quarterback job and will be just the second USC true frosh signalcaller to start an opener. The Trojans have more-than-capable runners (such as TBs Aca'Cedric Ware, Stephen Carr and Vavae Malepeai) and receivers (including WRs Tyler Vaughns, who had 57 receptions last year, and Michael Pittman, a 2017 All-Pac-12 first teamer on special teams), as well as a veteran line led by C Toa Lobendahn (he has started all 34 games he has played). Defensively, there's the likes of 2-time team tackle leader ILB Cameron Smith, fierce OLB Porter Gustin, 2017 All-Pac-12 first team S Marvell Tell III, physical CB Iman Marshall and sack-meister DL Christian Rector.
*UNLV, 5-7 in 2017, has shown improvement in each of head coach Tony Sanchez's 3 seasons. Fourteen starters return (7 on each side of the ball), including elusive QB Armani Rogers (the 2017 Mountain West Freshman of the Year while setting the school freshman season rushing record), TB Lexington Thomas (a 2017 All-MWC first teamer when he ran for 1,336 yards) and WRs Brandon Pressley and Kendal Keys. All 3 starting Rebel linebackers are back--Gabe McCoy, Bailey Laolagi and Farrell Hester II--along with FS Dalton Baker (99 tackles in 2017) and CB Jericho Flowers.
*It is Joint Forces Day at the Coliseum and there will be a pre-game flyover.
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