Big Ten Reveals Missed Penalty After USC Fake Punt vs. Northwestern

Gavin Dorsey

Nov 10, 2025, 22:46

Gavin Dorsey

Nov 10, 2025, 22:46

Updated at: Nov 10, 2025, 22:46

A key play from the Trojans' win over the Wildcats is facing scrutiny from the league office.

In a statement from the Big Ten Conference, league officials determined that referees missed a potential penalty call during USC's 38-17 win over Northwestern on Friday.

With the score tied at 7-7, slightly over a minute into the second quarter, the Wildcats stopped the Trojans to force a fourth-and-6. USC then successfully pulled off a fake punt, as backup quarterback Sam Huard completed a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines to continue the drive. The Trojans eventually capped off the possession with a six-yard rushing touchdown by starting quarterback Jayden Maiava.

Huard, who is listed on USC's roster as No. 7, had switched jersey numbers to wear the same No. 80 as punter Sam Johnson. Normally, if a player changes uniform numbers during a game, they are required to notify the referees, who then alert the opposing coach of the change. The Trojans planned for this and actually switched Huard's number from No. 7 to No. 80 a week ago, meaning he was listed on the gameday roster at the correct number and did not have to notify officials upon entering the game.

Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) on X This is incredible. USC coach Lincoln Riley gave backup QB Sam Huard the same number as the punter, and snuck him in the game to run a fake.

Unlike in the NFL, collegiate teams are allowed to have two players share a jersey number, as long as they are not on the field at the same time. However, the Big Ten revealed in a statement on Sunday that USC still broke the rules when Johnson later entered the game to punt.

"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,'" the Big Ten's release said. "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 conference also claimed it would continue to review the situation with both USC and Northwestern.

USC's successful fake punt came at a critical juncture in the game. After allowing a 16-play, opening-drive touchdown, the Wildcats' defense appeared to earn its first stop of the game with the score tied. Instead, the converted fourth down led to a touchdown.

The Big Ten's ruling likely would not have drastically turned the tides for Northwestern, which lost by 21 points anyway. It wouldn't even have changed that play, as the foul only occurred when Johnson entered the game wearing the same No. 80 at the same position as Huard.

On the ensuing drive, Johnson and the Trojans punted 23 yards from Northwestern's 44-yard line to its 21. Had a 15-yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty been called, USC would've had to punt from their own 41-yard line, which very well could have netted the same result. The Wildcats ended up going three-and-out anyway immediately following Johnson's boot.

Northwestern head coach David Braun took the blame for failing to prepare for the trick play, regardless of the Big Ten's response.

"By the rulebook, there could be a flag on that second punt; ultimately, I don't put that on the officials," Braun said during his Monday press conference. "I don't know how the officials are supposed to know which No. 80 is in the game, which Sam is under the helmet. I put this on me. It's my job to put our guys in the best position to go perform and execute on gameday. The situation that we experienced Friday night, I didn't put our guys in that position."

Braun added that he and his staff would "totally change" the way they go through their pre-game roster review to make sure a similar situation doesn't happen again.

Big Ten Reveals Missed Penalty After USC Fake Punt vs. Northwestern