USC Faces a Chilling Prospect

USC arrived here early Friday evening as a dull, gray sky turned black and temperatures dipped into the low 40s.

Rain was not falling, but forecasters predicted that it could be when the top-ranked Trojans play Washington State this afternoon at Martin Stadium.

Performing in cold, inclement conditions might be the toughest challenge USC faces during a stretch of the schedule that features nothing but opponents with losing records through mid-November.

Coach Pete Carroll began the week by preemptively chiding reporters for making the weather an issue. By Thursday, however, Carroll sounded like a Weather Channel expert.

“In a sick way, I’m kind of looking forward to seeing what it’s like and what it calls on us to do,” said Carroll, who coached in cold and sometimes frigid conditions during NFL stints with the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and New England Patriots.

After playing three consecutive home games in relatively mild Los Angeles, USC players also are intrigued by a cold-weather contest.

“I’m from San Diego so this is going to be new for me,” running back Reggie Bush said.

Running back LenDale White said he would not mind the cold, even though he has a thigh bruise and sore ankle. As a high school player in Colorado, White said he played in “rain, snow, a mix of both, all kinds of stuff. I love it because you know you’re going to get the ball a lot.”

White’s role today will depend on his injury situation. But regardless of the sophomore’s availability, Carroll said the Trojans would run more if the ball was wet.

“You don’t want to have to rely on throwing and catching the ball as much when it’s raining,” he said. “That’s more opportunities for the ball to get misplaced.”

Wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett, who went to high school in New Jersey, said the weather would not affect his ability to catch passes.

“I’m used to playing in the cold and the rain,” he said. “My last two championship games were in the snow. It was fun. Once you get going and playing you don’t feel the cold.”

USC is 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the Pacific 10 Conference. The Trojans have won 16 consecutive games and 11 straight conference games.

But Martin Stadium could stir some painful memories for the Trojans. A 30-27 overtime loss there in 2002 was their second that season and ultimately knocked them out of contention for the Fiesta Bowl, the bowl championship series title game. The defeat also cost the Trojans a Rose Bowl berth, which went to Washington State. USC wound up in the Orange Bowl, where it defeated Iowa. Washington State lost to Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl.

“That was a tough one because we had the lead and we let them come back,” senior defensive tackle Shaun Cody said of the 2002 loss in Pullman.

Kicker Ryan Killeen missed an extra-point attempt late in the fourth quarter, which allowed Washington State to kick a late field goal that tied the score and sent the game into overtime. Killeen, who had missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter, missed a 52-yard attempt in the extra period before the Cougars kicked a field goal to win.

Killeen said the weather -- and the past -- would have no bearing on his performance today. “I’m not one to dwell on any situation,” he said. “I approach this game as if we were playing here, there or wherever.”

USC is coming off a 38-0 win over Washington. The Trojans struggled early on offense and led, 10-0, at halftime before reeling off 21 third-quarter points. Washington converted none of its 14 third-down attempts.

Washington State did not fare much better in its 38-19 loss to Oregon State. The Cougars, who had lost starting quarterback Josh Swogger the week before because of a broken foot, converted one of 14 third-down attempts.

Carroll expects the Cougars (3-4, 1-3 in the Pac-10) to spread the field, attempt to utilize their short passing game and resort to trickery if necessary. He also anticipates that the Cougar defense will blitz at nearly every opportunity.

Washington State Coach Bill Doba said it would take an atypical performance by the Trojans for the Cougars to win.

“We need to relax and try some things we haven’t tried before,” Doba said. “And really, USC has to help us. They have to put the ball on the ground. They have to make mistakes. They have to make incompletions or throw passes at us so we can get turnovers.”