Portnoy Eviscerates USC & College Football's Double-Dipping: "This Has To Stop!"

Portnoy Calls Foul on College Football's Number Shenanigans: "It's Got To Go!"

College football's on-field trickery has sparked a debate, with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy leading the charge against teams allowing multiple players to wear the same jersey number. Portnoy's ire was ignited by a particularly clever play during USC's recent victory over Northwestern, a game that saw the Trojans utilize a number switch to execute a successful fake punt.

Portnoy Eviscerates USC & College Football's Doubl...

During the game, quarterback Sam Huard, normally wearing No. 7, donned a No. 80 jersey, typically worn by punter Sam Johnson. This disguise allowed Huard to line up as the punter and then successfully complete a pass for a first down, catching the Northwestern defense completely off guard.

Portnoy, a vocal personality known for

Portnoy, a vocal personality known for his strong opinions, didn't hold back on FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff." He argued that the practice of allowing multiple players to share numbers opens the door for such deceptive tactics. "I don't know when we started doing this," Portnoy stated, "There should be one No. 1, one No. 2. Fine, you have over 100 guys? [You have one No.] 101, 102, 103, but I don't want to see Arch Manning No. 16 on Texas and their safety [Michael Taaffe] wearing No. 16."

He went on to directly link the double-number policy to USC's fake punt play, claiming it created an unfair advantage. "And it leads to this: a fake punt that shouldn't be a fake punt because you have a quarterback pretending to be a punter. What happened? When did this go on? Get rid of the double numbers. It's got to go."

Portnoy's argument, while passionately delivered, isn't without its detractors. Fellow "Big Noon Kickoff" analyst and USC alum Matt Leinart jokingly retorted, "Dave Portnoy is the biggest dirt bag of all time," highlighting the potential for disagreement on the issue.

The debate raises questions about the

The debate raises questions about the balance between tradition and competitive fairness in college football. While some may view the practice of double numbers as a harmless quirk, others, like Portnoy, see it as a potential loophole that can be exploited for strategic gain. Whether the NCAA will address this issue remains to be seen, but Portnoy's vocal criticism has undoubtedly brought the topic into the spotlight.

Meanwhile, No. 19 USC continued their winning ways, defeating Northwestern 38-17, improving their record to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in Big Ten play. The victory, however, is now overshadowed by the controversy surrounding their unconventional play and the subsequent debate over jersey number policies.