Allmond Is Prepared for Auburn Climate

USC cornerback Marcell Allmond does not expect to be slowed by the heat and humidity the eighth-ranked Trojans will encounter when they travel to sixth-ranked Auburn on Saturday.

Allmond has never competed in any sport in Alabama, but he said nothing at Auburn could compare to the conditions he once faced in Nebraska while competing in a decathlon.

“It was about 105 degrees with 100% humidity,” Allmond said Wednesday.

Allmond said the Trojans benefited from hot days during training camp and predicted they would be acclimated to the conditions by the end of the first series.

He also said the Trojans cannot afford to overlook Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell, a 6-foot-4 junior who started six games last season.

“They have a hard running back corps and big old line, but you have to respect their passing game too, or they’ll beat you with it,” he said.

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Coach Pete Carroll is eager to take in the atmosphere at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, which has a capacity of more than 86,000 and is the nation’s seventh-largest on-campus stadium.

Earlier this week, Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville said the school could have sold 120,000 tickets for the game.

“Hopefully, the jungle is rocking come Saturday at 5 o’clock,” Tuberville said.

Trojan defensive end Omar Nazel said he is looking forward to the challenge.

“I feed off any energy,” he said. “I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a very tense, hostile crowd. I personally like to play in stadiums like that, so it’s going to be a great game for me from an enthusiasm point of view.”

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Junior linebacker Matt Grootegoed has not participated in drills for most of the week because of a sore back, but Carroll said Grootegoed will play Saturday.

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Mark Jackson, USC’s director of football operations, said the Trojans would take 75 players to Auburn.

Carroll said all the quarterbacks on scholarship -- starter Matt Leinart, Matt Cassel, Brandon Hance, Billy Hart and John David Booty -- would make the trip.

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The Trojans will have a light practice this morning before departing in early afternoon for Montgomery, Ala.