USC doesn’t want to look past Colorado, or the cold weather

USC attempts to avoid a trap game against a Colorado team that has won only once in Pac-12 Conference play but has tested several opponents. Times staff writer Gary Klein examines the matchups and story lines:

Cold, hard facts

Temperatures for the game are expected to be in the 30s, and could dip into the 20s.

USC lost last month at Notre Dame where it was in the low 40s at kickoff. But the Trojans have historically fared pretty well in cold-weather games.

USC is 11-8-1 in cold-weather games, which the school’s sports information department defines as those in which the cold was mentioned in media recaps.

USC’s last cold-weather game was at Washington State in 2014, when the Trojans won, 44-17, with temperatures in the mid-40s with wet and foggy conditions.

At the controls

USC interim Coach Clay Helton said this week that quarterback Cody Kessler was playing “phenomenal.”

Translation: Kessler avoided interceptions and converted key third-down passes in last week’s victory over Arizona, the Trojans’ third win in a row.

The fifth-year senior was on target for a 72-yard touchdown pass play to receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and he has gone three games without having a pass intercepted.

Kessler is completing 69% of his passes, 20 for touchdowns, with five passes for interceptions. In 2014, Kessler passed for 39 touchdowns, with five intercepted passes.

Colorado’s Sefo Liufau is completing 62% of his passes, nine for touchdowns, with six passes for interceptions. The junior also has rushed for 202 yards and five touchdowns.

Opportunity awaits

USC freshman tailback Ronald Jones II is expected to get more touches after rushing for 177 yards and a touchdown, and catching a touchdown pass, last week.

His role could grow even larger because senior Tre Madden is sidelined because of a knee injury.

Jones will share carries with junior Justin Davis, who rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona.

Freshmen Aca’Cedric Ware and Dominic Davis also could get carries against the Buffaloes, who have the Pac-12’s worst rushing defense.

Phillip Lindsay has rushed for 503 yards and five touchdowns for Colorado. Christian Powell has rushed for four touchdowns.

Here’s the catch

Colorado receiver Nelson Spruce, who played at Westlake High, is the Pac-12 Conference’s career receptions leader with 272 catches.

Spruce, a senior, has 67 receptions this season, two for touchdowns.

Former Bellflower St. John Bosco standout Shay Fields has 36 catches, four for touchdowns. Bryce Bobo, who played at Covina Charter Oak, has 22 catches. Former Mission Hills Alemany standout Devin Ross, the cousin of Trojans receiver Steven Mitchell Jr., has 21 catches.

Smith-Schuster will have his right hand encased in a soft cast for the second consecutive game. Smith-Schuster had eight receptions for 138 yards against Arizona.

Mitchell said the ankle injury that sidelined or slowed him through the middle part of the season is healed. Darreus Rogers also appears to be closer to full strength after nursing a hamstring injury for much of the season.

In defense

USC linebacker Cameron Smith suffered a shoulder injury against Arizona but has been cleared to play.

Linebacker Su’a Cravens, who suffered a cut on his finger last week, also will be in the lineup. Safety Leon McQuay III sat out last week because of a knee injury but practiced this week.

Linebacker Rick Gamboa, a redshirt freshman who played at West Hills Chaminade High, is the Buffaloes’ top tackler. Linebacker Kenneth Olugbode and defensive backs Tedric Thompson and Chidobe Awuzie help anchor Colorado’s defense.

All’s fair

USC punt returner Adoree’ Jackson remains stubborn about calling for a fair catch.

“That’s not me,” he said. “I feel I can make a play regardless of where I’m at.”

Trojans coaches don’t seem to mind.

“It drives me crazy, but that’s just the way he is,” special teams coach Johnny Nansen said. “In every way, he wants to make things happen.

“There’s a couple times I’m like, ‘Hey, just fair catch the ball. Let’s get great field position.’ But No. 2 wants to score every time.”

gary.klein@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimesklein