 Achica attended the University of Southern California, where he played for the USC Trojans football team from 1979 to 1982.He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, the Lombardi Award runner-up, and Morris Trophy winner as a senior in 1982.Achica was the first of four Samoans to be selected as All-Americans at USC; the others being Junior Seau, Troy Polamalu, and Lofa Tatupu.