Question from our off season study

[NorCalMike]

Team A is down by 6 points on the last play of the game.  A’s ball 3rd and 1 @ B40.  A1 runs to the B5 where he is about to be tackled so he hands the ball forward to a 35 but they fumble the ball and it rolls into the end zone where A66 falls on the ball for a touchdown.
Fill in the following.
Ruling:                  Type of Play:
Basic Spot/Enforcement Spot:
Penalty:               Rule Citing:
Team      Down     Distance        Yardline      Clock status____

[Ump33]

Team A is down by 6 points on the last play of the game.  A’s ball 3rd and 1 @ B40.  A1 runs to the B5 where he is about to be tackled so he hands the ball forward to a 35 but they fumble the ball and it rolls into the end zone where A66 falls on the ball for a touchdown.
Fill in the following.

Ruling:               Type of Play:
Basic Spot/Enforcement Spot:
Penalty:               Rule Citing:
Team      Down     Distance        Yardline      Clock status____

Illegal (Forward) Handing ... No score - Team A is penalized 5 yards from the End of the Run (B's 5 yard Line). Since the OP stated "last play of the game", I will take that to mean time expired during the down. Since Illegal Handing has Loss of Down provisions, the Down is not Repeated/Replayed and there is no Untimed Down ... Game Over.
7-3-3 & 3-3-4b

[Harry]

Ruling:  Touchdown
Type of Play: Running play
Basic Spot/Enforcement Spot: None
Penalty: None
Rule Citing: 2-19-1

[Atlanta Blue]

Ruling:  Touchdown
Type of Play: Running play
Basic Spot/Enforcement Spot: None
Penalty: None
Rule Citing: 2-19-1

Read 7-3-2 and see if you come up with the same answer.

[younggun]

Ruling:  Touchdown
Type of Play: Running play
Basic Spot/Enforcement Spot: None
Penalty: None
Rule Citing: 2-19-1

Ruling: TD
Type of Play: Loose Ball Play
Basic Spot/Enforcement Spot: None
Penalty: No Foul
Rule Citing: 2-19-1 "ART. 1 . . . Handing the ball is transferring player possession from one player to a teammate in such a way that the ball is still in contact with the first player when it is touched by the teammate. Handing the ball is not a pass. Loss of play- er possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handing is a fumble."

You have to complete the action of transferring the ball forward before you will have a foul.

[Atlanta Blue]

Totally missed the fumble part of the question!

Thanks.

[ljudge]

Type of Play: Loose Ball Play

Careful.  Where was the ball fumbled?

[younggun]

Correction.... not loose ball... the ball was fumbled beyond the NZ. Brain Fart...

[NorCalMike]

 We had a long discussion about this but ultimately decided that the play resulted in a touchdown.

[Ump33]

...
Rule Citing: 2-19-1 "ART. 1 . . . Handing the ball is transferring player possession from one player to a teammate in such a way that the ball is still in contact with the first player when it is touched by the teammate. Handing the ball is not a pass. Loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handing is a fumble."

You have to complete the action of transferring the ball forward before you will have a foul.

Interesting ... I did not focus on the "transfering player possession". Thanks for the education.

[jason]

So, let me get this right, because they screwed up the illegal forward handoff by not completing it, it ceases to be an illegal forward handoff? 

ART. 1 . . . Handing the ball is transferring player possession from one player to a teammate in such a way that the ball is still in contact with the first player when it is touched by the teammate. Handing the ball is not a pass. Loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handing is a fumble.
ART. 2 . . . Forward handing occurs when the runner releases the ball when the entire ball is beyond the yard line where the runner is positioned.

I see nowhere in Article 1 that says the handing or transferring has to be successful.  The important part is "in such a way that the ball is still in contact with the first player when it is touched by the teammate."  Furthermore, Article 2 contradicts the notion that the forward handing has to be successful; it is simply when "the runner releases the ball".

A TD on this play doesn't pass the smell test.  If you don't rule illegal forward handing, then you better have seen air between the ball and the receiving player's hands, which would make it an illegal forward pass.

[HLinNC]

Player 2 did not obtain possession , thus there can not be transfer of possession, thus no foul.  The whole sentence has to be taken into context and the act must be completed.

Article 1 defines handing.  Article 2 describes the circumstance in which makes it forward.

[cbrocett01]

Actually the question is written terribly.  It says "they fumbled" the ball.... To answer the question correctly you need to know who fumbled it.

A. If Player A35 never received possession of the ball he cannot fumble it, therefore Player A1 fumbled the ball... no forward handing... Result of the play is a touchdown.

B. If player B did possess the ball.. it means the handing did take place.. that is a 5 yard penalty with LOD.. Game over.

That is all I got to say about that.