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USC football pulled off what could be the travesty of the century during Friday night’s blowout victory over Northwestern.
Punter Sam Johnson was hailed as a hero after he appeared to make an incredible fake punt by completing a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines early in the second quarter on fourth-and-six. The play extended the drive, resulting in Jayden Maiava’s touchdown.
Third-string quarterback Sam Huard (80) of the Southern California Trojans makes a pass on a fake punt in front of Ricky Ahumaraeze (10) of the Northwestern Wildcats for a first down during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on November 7, 2025. (Harry How/Getty Images)
But it wasn’t Johnson’s play that should take credit.
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The third quarterback, Sam Huard, who was wearing the same No. 80 jersey as Johnson, was actually the one behind the pass. And the trick itself? Completely legal.
Huard, despite wearing the No. 7 jersey earlier this year, was officially named to the roster this week with the new number, a change coach Lincoln Riley quietly made. College football teams usually have two players who wear the same number.
Southern California Trojans quarterback Sam Huard (7) warms up before a college football game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Southern California Trojans at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Sept. 13, 2025. (Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It was well thought out,” Riley said. “We had it at the right time and we were confident in it, and Sam stepped in and made a good throw.”
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Riley said the change had been in place for weeks and jokingly thanked reporters for not posting it on social media.
“You guys have to pay attention,” he said. “Seriously, it’s been there for three weeks. I’m glad none of you put it on Twitter.”
Northwestern coach David Braun called it a “lesson learned.”
Southern California Trojans quarterback Sam Huard (80) leads the sideline after a college football game between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Southern California Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on November 7, 2025. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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“It didn’t appear on the online list. It hadn’t appeared anywhere else,” he said. “But they filed it legally. It was on the game-day roster that was here at the Coliseum. And the lesson I learned from that for the rest of my career is that when we get to a facility, we’re going to take a hard look at it and look for any of those potential issues.”
