USC Trojans Deceive Northwestern with Fake Punt

In Los Angeles, the No. 20 USC Trojans executed a deceptive fake punt against Northwestern on Friday night, using third-string quarterback Sam Huard in place of punter Sam Johnson to fool the opposing defense and secure a key first down.

The play unfolded early in the second quarter on fourth-and-6 near midfield. USC lined up in punt formation, but Huard, wearing Johnson's No. 80 jersey, dropped back and threw a precise 10-yard pass to wide receiver Tanook Hines. Huard, who typically wears No. 7, had his number officially changed to 80 for the game and was listed as such on the pre-game roster provided to officials. This allowed the tactic to comply with NCAA rules, which permit multiple players on a team to share jersey numbers as long as they are not on the field simultaneously. The substitution went unnoticed by Northwestern, and even the Fox broadcast team initially credited Johnson with the completion before correcting that it was Huard.

The successful fake extended USC's drive, which culminated two plays later in a 6-yard touchdown run by starting quarterback Jayden Maiava, giving the Trojans a 14-7 lead with 11:27 remaining in the half. Huard, a former five-star recruit...