During the USC Trojans’ 38–17 win over the Northwestern Wildcats, Lincoln Riley’s team executed a bold fake punt that caught everyone by surprise. Some analysts even called the move “unethical”. The USC head honcho had heard enough and proceeded to set the record straight.

On November 11, Lincoln Riley addressed the issue on his weekly show, Trojans Live. USC beat writer Ryan Kartje tweeted that Riley made it pretty clear the play was entirely within the rules and said it was ‘entirely legal.’ Kartje tweeted, “Lincoln Riley said the fake punt ploy that USC called during the Northwestern win was ‘entirely legal.’ He said his staff is well aware of the rules, and he ‘has some thoughts’ on the Big Ten’s statement on the matter.”

Riley didn’t wait to reply and said, “I know there has been a bunch of stuff on the outside about it. It’s a perfectly legal play, and our guys executed it at a high level.” In the second quarter, with the score tied 7-7, USC faced a 4th-and-6 near midfield. The Trojans lined up to punt, with No. 80, Sam Johnson, appearing ready to kick. However, it wasn’t Johnson. It was backup quarterback Sam Huard, who had been listed as No. 80 for the game.

Riley explained, “We got it kind of where we wanted it. It was one of those scenarios where we had a good scheme drawn up… We had several people involved on that one. Really though, it was about execution at the end of the day.”

When the ball was snapped, Huard didn’t punt it. Instead, he threw a pass down the left sideline to wide receiver Tanook Hines, who made the catch for a first down. USC kept the drive alive and later scored a touchdown. Riley praised his players’ performance, saying, “They ended up bringing an overload there to the left side and had one more guy than we were able to block. Sam stood in there and made a really nice throw. Obviously, it was a great catch by Tanook. It was another huge momentum play… Cool to see the guys execute it. We had a lot of confidence going into the game.”

After the game, controversy surrounded the play. Rules analyst Mike Pereira claimed the play should not have counted because USC had two players wearing No. 80 on special teams, saying that it should have resulted in a 15-yard penalty. Many questioned whether the Trojans had broken a rule in pulling off the trick play.

Legal or not, it’s too late for the Big Ten to do anything about it. And you can bet Lincoln Riley isn’t losing any sleep over it, because the challenges ahead are far bigger than this one.

Lincoln Riley on his biggest challenge of the season

The USC Trojans are set to face the Iowa Hawkeyes this weekend in a blockbuster clash. With two losses already and just three games left, the former Sooners HC knows how crucial this matchup is for USC’s playoff hopes. The Trojans can’t afford another slip-up like they did against Bret Bielema’s Illinois. A win keeps their postseason dreams alive, while a loss could end them.

Speaking on the “Trojans Live” show ahead of the game, Riley made sure that he’s not taking Iowa or any remaining opponent lightly. He emphasized to his players that every game carries more weight as the season draws to a close.

“We haven’t been bashful about that with our players,” Riley said. “This game coming up this weekend is not the same, like, it’s just not. The more you win, the more important these become, and the bigger the opportunities become. Our team is very well aware of that.”

The matchup won’t be easy by any means. Iowa’s defense and special teams have been some of the toughest in the country, as they held the Oregon Ducks to just 18 points. Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa is arguably the best non-ranked team in the country. A win would give the Trojans a massive boost in the College Football Playoff race, while a loss would likely drop them to 7-3 and out of playoff contention. Riley and his team know the stakes. This one could define their season.