USC and Lincoln Riley will not back down from the college football controversy regarding an illegal fake punt last weekend. The Trojans used the confusion to their advantage against Iowa.
They made a subtle but significant change to its roster on Saturday.
All of their opponents must now be on edge during every punt for the rest of the college football season. It adds another wrinkle to the shenanigans in direct response to the Big Ten’s backlash.
USC ran a controversial fake punt.
USC lined up to punt on 4th-and-6 during the second quarter against Northwestern. It was No. 80 who set up deep in the backfield to receive the snap and kick the ball away.
No. 80 belongs to starting punter Sam Johnson so everything looked routine.
However, the Trojans also listed third-string quarterback Sam Huard as No. 80 on the roster before the game. Huard — not Johnson — lined up as the punt and completed a 10-yard pass to move the chains.
IT'S A FAKE PUNT 🫨
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2025
Punter Sam Johnson throws it for a @uscfb first down! pic.twitter.com/eRMSo0gQ2m
Although the play was allowed to stand at the time, the Big Ten later released a statement to declare the fake punt as illegal. Two players of the same position cannot wear the same number.
Thus, it actually was not a penalty when Sam Huard converted the first down. It was a penalty when Sam Johnson entered the game as the actual punter later in the game.
“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.”
Lincoln Riley did not agree. (Connor Stalions also disagreed with the conference but that is neither here nor there.)
“The fake punt was entirely legal,” he said. “Our guys did a fantastic job of executing it. And there’s not really a whole lot else to say.”
What’s done is done.
The Trojans doubled down.
Neither Sam Huard nor Sam Johnson were listed on the roster as No. 80 for Saturday’s game against Iowa. Both the starting quarterback and third-string quarterback were listed as No. 0 instead.
Here they are during warmups:
— – (@Spicoli_____) November 15, 2025
I don’t know what the Trojans plan to do with this number change. At the very least, its keeps their opponent on their toes. The Hawkeyes — and every team moving forward — must now make sure it is Johnson who lines up at punter on fourth down and not Huard. Mind games!