USC completely duped Northwestern with a fake punt—not just with the play itself, but with the player behind it.
Early in the second quarter of Friday’s game against the Wildcats, the No. 20 Trojans pulled off a perfectly executed fake punt. On fourth-and-6, third-string quarterback Sam Huard, standing in as USC’s punter, threw a precise pass to wide receiver Tanook Hines for a first down.
What made the play even more deceptive was Huard wearing a No. 80 jersey—the same number as USC’s actual punter, senior Sam Johnson. This clever jersey switch helped Huard fool the Northwestern defense, who seemingly didn’t notice the change.
Although this kind of trickery might seem illegal, the jersey change was permitted. The Trojans had officially listed Huard’s number as No. 80 ahead of Friday’s game. It’s common in college football for multiple players to wear the same number, which likely contributed to Northwestern’s oversight.
Even the Fox broadcast crew was fooled by the stunt, praising Johnson for the play that eventually led to a Trojan touchdown.
After the successful trick play, Huard was seen grinning and high-fiving teammates as he walked off the field, clearly enjoying the moment.
According to NCAA rules, players who switch jersey numbers during a game must inform a referee, who then notifies the opposing team’s head coach and makes an announcement. Since USC made the switch before the game, it was ultimately Northwestern’s responsibility to notice the change.
This is not the first time a team has used this kind of deception. Last season, Bowling Green pulled off a similar stunt against Arkansas State, when third-string quarterback Baron May changed his jersey number from No. 8 to 18—closely resembling punter John Henderson’s No. 19 jersey.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/07/sports/usc-pulls-off-incredible-fake-punt-thanks-to-cheeky-jersey-change/
