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Storm clouds are expected over Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday night, with temperatures dropping into the low 50s.

How appropriate.

This is the setting for the start of Utah's Pac-12 season: rain, cold, and a 1-2 USC team that the Utes are convinced is better than its record in front of an expected 41st consecutive sellout home crowd. Coming off its own 3-0 nonconference schedule, No. 24 Utah has a chance to prove — a year after the Trojans ended their last undefeated start — that they can handle success, while USC is looking to show its own ability to deal with adversity.

Of all the match-ups, of all the X-and-O chess games, Pac-12 Networks analyst Yogi Roth said he's looking most forward to seeing who can steady the ship in what is expected to be challenging conditions. The game won't just be a critical result for two Pac-12 South powers, but a window into who can weather the overall battle for the division title.

"The Utes are a team that doesn't hurt themselves, and now they've got some explosiveness to them that could prove lethal," he said. "It's all about how the handle this opportunity in a ridiculous environment. That's what I'm looking forward to watching: Can they handle that?"

It's clear that the USC game resonates, particularly for more than two dozen Southern California natives on the roster. San Diego native Patrick said of the USC rivalry: "This is our BYU." Many of Utah's players grew up USC fans in the Pete Carroll heyday, cheering on Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. Despite a rough start, that vision of the Trojans' otherworldly talent still sticks in many a Utes' minds — and the team is preparing as such.

"Of course they're a dangerous team," Patrick said. "The two teams they lost to [Alabama and Stanford] are two of the top teams in the nation. You can't really treat them lightly. They're still USC, they still get all the five-star recruits. They've still got good players."

USC has spent the week attempting to rediscover that part of themselves, with head coach Clay Helton making a quarterback change and anointing redshirt freshman Sam Darnold as the starter to shake up a lackluster offense after a 27-10 loss to Stanford.

While it may not seem kind for a coach to thrust a first-time starter into a loud, rainy road environment against a team averaging five sacks per game, Helton said he's seen signs from Darnold that he can handle the pressure.

That doesn't surprise San Clemente coach Jamie Ortiz, who also was Travis Wilson's high school coach. It doesn't surprise the Utes, who were the first to offer Darnold as a sophomore after he had one start — and one win — as the back-up QB against Tesoro High with a late, game-winning pass.

"When you talk about a quarterback, he's got to be the franchise — gotta have thick skin and a short memory," Ortiz said. "He's that type of kid. When he played here, he played his heart out. Sam has that persona."

While there has been considerable negative chatter about USC — off to its worst start since 2001 — and Helton, who has begun his career 1-4 as the permanent head coach, Roth thinks the rhetoric is overblown. Every coach needs an adjustment period, and even Carroll started out 6-6 before seven straight years of 11 or more wins (Roth worked on Carroll's USC staff). Helton also has only 40 juniors and seniors, the least of any team in the Pac-12.

But games like USC's at Utah are important for culture-building and tone-setting, Roth added. He expects the Trojans to come in as focused as they've been all season, and perhaps even start fast on offense. But what happens if they get stopped, or give up a turnover, or Utah takes the lead? How do they handle the roar of the MUSS filling their ears?

"All of these players go to this institution highly ranked, and people constantly remind them how gifted they are — there's this blurred line between reality and perceived reality," Roth said. "At some point every season, players have to face the truth of what the team is, and become guys who embrace that football is really hard."

For Utah, the whisper that they could win the Pac-12 South is rising, initiating a different kind of battle. Williams has added explosiveness to the passing game, and the defense is again earning respect with every sack and interception it piles on.

But the ride can come to an end at anytime, as USC proved to the Utes last year. And they're hoping this time, they've learned their lesson well: The rain will come, but they have to endure it.

"They were able to stop our momentum last year," Whittingham said. "So we're going to try to play better this year, that's for sure."

Twitter: @kylegoon —

USC at No. 24 Utah

P At Rice-Eccles Stadium

Kickoff • 7 p.m.

TV • Fox Sports 1

Radio • ESPN 700 AM

Records • USC (1-2); Utah (3-0)

Series history • USC leads, 10-4

Last meeting • Oct. 24, 2015 ; USC 42, Utah 24

About the Trojans • Making his first career start at quarterback is freshman Sam Darnold, who played snaps in USC's first three games this year and is 14 for 22 with 136 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. … A preseason Biletnikoff candidate, junior receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has started the season slowly, with 11 catches for 99 yards for second on the team. … Junior cornerback Adoree Jackson may get offensive reps this week: The blistering runner and Olympic Trials long jump competitor has already returned a punt for a touchdown this season against Utah State.

About the Utes • Junior quarterback Troy Williams is one of two Pac-12 quarterbacks with at least five passes of 40 or more yards this season, but still has thrown one interception for every touchdown (4). … After a 10-sack game against San Jose State, the Utes rank No. 2 nationally with 15 total sacks this year, led by senior Hunter Dimick with three. … The Utes rank No. 122 in the country with nine turnovers lost, maintaining a minus-one turnover margin.