Overview
- Third-string quarterback Sam Huard wore No. 80 to match punter Sam Johnson and completed a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines on fourth-and-6 early in the second quarter.
- The first down extended the possession that produced a Jayden Maiava touchdown, and No. 20 USC went on to beat Northwestern 38-17 at the Coliseum.
- A USC spokesperson confirmed Huard’s number change for the week, and Northwestern coach David Braun said the move was legally submitted and listed on the in-stadium game-day roster.
- Coach Lincoln Riley called it a well-planned play, noted the change had been in place for weeks, and pointed to rules that allow duplicate numbers if not used on the field simultaneously.
- The ruse fooled the Fox broadcast crew and fueled broader criticism and calls to revisit numbering and disclosure rules, with observers also noting a similar Bowling Green stunt last season.