The Big Ten has finally responded to the controversial fake punt trick play USC executed in Week 11 against Northwestern. As many expected, the conference admitted that the play violated rules and should have been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.
In an official statement, the Big Ten acknowledged that the play breached one of the “unfair tactics” rules, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The statement read:
“During Friday’s Northwestern vs. Southern California football game, with 13:58 remaining in the second quarter (4th & 6), USC #80 (Huard) lined up 13 yards in the backfield within a punt formation and completed a 10-yard pass. A second USC #80 (Johnson) is listed on the Trojans roster and punted twice in the contest.
NCAA Football Playing Rule 9, Section 2, Article 2 is labeled ‘Unfair Tactics’, with paragraph ‘d’ stating: ‘Two players playing the same position may not wear the same number during the game.’
If a foul was identified when #80 (Johnson) entered the game as a punter, a Team Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty would have been assessed resulting in a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot. The Big Ten will continue to review the situation with both institutions.”
### USC’s Fake Punt Leads to Dominant Win Over Northwestern
The trick play came on USC’s third punt formation of the game. Prior to kickoff, USC had switched backup quarterback Sam Huard to No. 80 to match their punter, Sam Johnson. After Johnson had punted twice, head coach Lincoln Riley sent Huard onto the field as his “punter” on a crucial fourth-down play with the score tied at seven.
This creative deception allowed Huard to complete an easy 10-yard pass for a first down, which eventually led to a touchdown. The play was not flagged during the game, but FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira noted that punishment would likely be enforced postgame. Pereira highlighted how difficult it would be for referees to identify that Huard was not Johnson in real-time.
The punt sparked a civil war on social media. USC fans praised the cleverness of the play, while many other college football fans criticized its ethics. The successful fake punt gave USC a 14-7 lead, setting the momentum for the rest of the contest.
The Trojans eventually pulled away in the second half, securing a 38-17 victory to improve to 7-2 on the season. Having already matched their 2024 season win total, USC now prepares for a tougher test in Week 12 against Iowa.
That game will conclude the team’s homecoming week and set the stage for pivotal matchups against Oregon and UCLA to close out the regular season.
https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-football/usc-football-news-big-ten-eye-opening-statement-fake-punt-trickery
