Say this for Clay Helton's USC Trojans: It's almost assuredly never boring. 

USC needed a 21-point second half to come from 10 points down and beat Colorado 35-31 on Friday. It marks the first road win for the Trojans this season and the 14th all-time win over the Buffaloes. Conversely, Colorado has never beaten USC and came agonizingly close this time. 

The win moves Helton's team to 5-3 with a huge matchup against No. 11 Oregon coming to Los Angeles in Week 10. This team is also still leading the way in the Pac-12 South race since it holds the head-to-head win over No. 12 Utah. What did we learn from Friday night's comeback victory? Here are fourth things to know. 

Same story, different week with Helton's Trojans

No, it's not just you. Talking about Helton's job security ad nauseam is, in fact, tiresome. But that's the story, full stop, until either Helton goes on a winning streak to cease the chatter or USC cuts ties. For a while now, Helton's status has been a bit half-cheeked. USC has been bad enough at times that a change seems inevitable, but it has also been good enough to not immediately justify it. Take Friday night's win, for example. Like most of their ugly wins, the Trojans did what they could to lose -- namely, they let Colorado move the ball mostly at will -- but found a way because athletes make plays, man. 

USC certainly can't let go of Helton after a win, and in fairness to him, it's worth pointing out this team is currently occupying roughly 85 percent of the beds at the local infirmary. The injury list is astonishingly long. Even if you recruit well, there is a natural drop-off when you start reaching into the farthest corners of your depth chart. 

And, who knows, maybe USC beats Oregon at home in Week 10 because this team turns into the Monstars when it's at home in the Coliseum. But watching USC feels oftentimes like a chore. I can only imagine what it must feel like being emotionally invested in it. 

Still, USC has some undeniable talent

Which is why this football purgatory is baffling. Every once in a while when USC is playing poorly (i.e. on the road), it reminds you why it could be so much better. This typically happens about a half-dozen times during the course of the game to the tune of its world-class wide receivers making absurd individual plays. 

I mean, look at this: 

That was a touchdown when it could just have easily been incomplete. The line between success and failure is a tightrope and USC walks it like a champ. But while future pro Tyler Vaughns made that wild catch, it was freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis delivering a strike to where only Vaughns could get it. Slovis, it should be noted, played great given the circumstances. He went 30 of 44 for 406 yards, four touchdowns and one pick. He did not have the benefit of a healthy backfield; receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was the team's second-leading rusher. On top of shouldering the burden of moving the sticks, he also played from behind. 

Slovis was saved a few times from some surefire turnovers because fumble luck giveth and taketh away, but all in all he delivered when his team needed him. He's going to be special. Receivers Vaughns, St. Brown and Michael Pittman, who had 156 yards and two touchdowns, already are. 

A healthy(ish) Laviska Shenault remains unstoppable

Speaking of special, it has been a minute since Shenault was 100 percent. The receiver missed Colorado's loss to Arizona earlier this month with a core muscle injury and has been dealing with a multitude of nicks and dings of varying severity for the past year. He still didn't even look fully healthy Friday night, briefly leaving once with after he appeared to aggravate that injury again. But if this is what a 90 percent Shenault looks like, let us never forget it. He was targeted 14 times and ended up with nine catches for a team-best 172 yards with a touchdown. He also had a 17-yard rush. That's revolving a game plan around you, as it should be. His lone touchdown, a 71-yard catch-and-run, showed what one bad open-field angle gives you. 

That's NFL-caliber speed and trying to cover him with a thin defense knowing you're one mistake away from getting burned is a defeating feeling. Shenault still flies a bit under the radar because of his injuries and Colorado's record, but he's up there among the hardest one-on-one matchups to defend. 

Mel Tucker punted when he was ahead, which was a mistake

This sounds like hindsight being 20/20 because, well, it is. Colleague Tom Fornelli opined earlier this season that coaches could use a math lesson when it comes to field goals. Tucker could have used one with his decision to punt on fourth-and-4 when his team was up 31-28 with 6:16 left in the game. The Buffs were on the USC 38-yard line, which, given the down-and-distance, is no-man's land on a football field. Knowing what USC had done, and could do, to his defense on a shorter field, Tucker opted to punt. That pinned USC at the 10-yard line. 

But then USC drove 90 yards in 12 plays to take the 35-31 lead. Without question, it was its best drive of the game when it needed it most. Tough luck, right? Perhaps. And to Tucker's credit, his defense played generally well following the opening drive of the game when it gave up a touchdown after just three plays. Tucker, a former defensive coordinator, probably felt he could lean on his defense, get to Slovis and make a stop. Based on the feel of the game, I get where he's coming from. 

However, that's not what Colorado's defense has done this year. The Buffalos entered Week 9 dead last in the Pac-12 in scoring defense. Moreover, they've allowed at least 30 points in 12 straight games. Even if Colorado didn't get the first down and USC scored, it likely would have given them a little more time to respond. That's important with only one timeout. Above all, you're the underdog. Coach to shorten the game, not extend it.