Folsom Field in Boulder, CO, at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT on ESPN2 and WatchESPN (also in Spanish)
Buffalo to Watch: Senior WR Nelson SpruceColorado has a talented passing attack, keyed by QB Sefo Liufau and aided by sophomore WR Shay Fields, but Spruce is the pick of the bunch. He is second in the Pac-12 in catches (67) and fifth in receiving yards (728). He has led the Buffaloes in receiving three of his four years in Colorado. Like many teams in the conference, the Buffs try to recruit Southern California, and Spruce (Westlake Village) is one that got away.
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3 Keys
Heat Up Fast
The Trojans have been prone to slow starts under interim head coach Clay Helton, outscored 49-17 in the first quarter. USC has come back to win the last three games, but Colorado is 1-5 in conference, so the Trojans will not want to give the Buffaloes belief early in the game. High altitude, low temperatures and a short week, all the signs of a "trap game" are there, but USC's coaches have said the right things this week, and the Trojans are in playoff mode. If they come out hot, USC could burn through the cold Boulder night.
Run Ronald Run
Ralphie is the star attraction at every Colorado home football game. The majestic buffalo will precede the contest with her thrilling charge around Folsom Field. However, once the game starts, USC freshman RB Ronald Jones II is the one to make you gasp at his gallop. He is 148 yards shy of USC's freshman record for a season (Charles White in 1976), which is certainly attainable after his 177-yard performance last time out. Colorado's run defense ranks last in the Pac-12, yielding 208.9 yards per game.
Sack Sefo
The USC defense has made a commitment to be more aggressive under Helton's watch and increased play-making has been the result. The Trojans have recorded 13 sacks in the last four games after just 10 in the first five. Last week, the defense posted a season-high 10 tackles-for-loss. All the pressure up front has yielded returns in the back end, racking up seven interceptions in the last three contests. The Buffaloes are prone to putting Liufau under duress, 10th in the Pac-12 in sacks allowed, so the formula is there to be followed once again.
