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 recognized that the play violated one of the “unfair tactics” rules, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
“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,” the statement read. “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 fake punt leads to dominant win over Northwestern
The trick play came on USC's third punt formation of the game. USC had switched backup quarterback Sam Huard to No. 80 before the game to match their punter, Sam Johnson.
After having Johnson punt twice, Lincoln Riley trotted out Huard as his “punter” on a crucial fourth-down play with the score knotted at seven. The trickery allowed Huard to complete an easy 10-yard pass for the first down, which eventually led to a touchdown.
The play was not flagged, but FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira noted that the punishment would likely come after the game. Pereira pointed out how difficult it would be for referees to recognize that Huard was not Johnson in the moment.
The punt sparked civil war on social media, with USC fans admiring its creativity, but almost every other college football fan called out the ethics of it.
The play allowed USC to get out to a 14-7 lead, which got the ball rolling. The Trojans pulled away in the second half to take a 38-17 victory and improve to 7-2 on the year.
The Trojans, who have already matched their 2024 season win total, prepare for a stiffer test in Week 12 against Iowa. The game will end the team's homecoming week and lead them into matchups with Oregon and UCLA to end the regular season.
