USC’s Sam Huard switches numbers for tricky fake punt

No. 20 USC pulled off a remarkable fake punt against Northwestern by sending third-string QB Sam Huard out in the same uniform number as the Trojans’ punter.

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nov 7, 2025, 7:41 PM Updated: 8:12 pm

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A general view of USC Trojans signage before a football game. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)

(Luke Hales/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — No. 20 Southern California pulled off a remarkable fake punt against Northwestern on Friday night by sending out third-string quarterback Sam Huard in the same uniform number as the Trojans’ punter.

Wearing a No. 80 jersey, Huard came on the field with the punt team in the second quarter and completed a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines. The first down extended the Trojans’ second drive, which ended with a TD run by Jayden Maiava.

IT'S A FAKE PUNT 🫨

Punter Sam Johnson throws it for a @uscfb first down! pic.twitter.com/eRMSo0gQ2m

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2025

This bit of trickery was quite legal, apparently: Huard wore No. 7 earlier this season for the Trojans, but he is listed as No. 80 on the USC roster for this week after Lincoln Riley’s team quietly made the change.

USC punter Sam Johnson also wears No. 80. College football teams frequently feature two players wearing the same number.

Huard, who is a couple of inches shorter than the 6-foot-3 Johnson, grinned widely as he high-fived his teammates on the way off the field. A former five-star recruit who began his college career with the UW Huskies, Huard is a Bellevue native and Kennedy Catholic product. He is the son of former UW and NFL QB Damon Huard and nephew of former UW and NFL QB Brock Huard, who is co-host of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

The play even tricked FOX play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti, a former broadcast partner of Brock Huard. After learning it was Sam Huard who made the throw, Benetti quipped, “My phone is going to be a disaster when Brock watches this.”

Brock Huard responded on social media: “FIELD DAY indeed…”

Bowling Green pulled off a similar stunt in last season’s 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Third-string Falcons quarterback Baron May switched his uniform number before the game from 8 to 18 — very similar to punter John Henderson’s No. 19 jersey.

Late in the first quarter, May came on the field instead of Henderson and threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Johnson Jr. — although Arkansas State overcame it for a 38-31 victory.

Seattle Sports staff made additions to this post.

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