Football Officiating > NCAA Discussion

2025 S-B Quiz 10

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ElvisLives:
Definitely a couple of "thinkers" in this bunch. Hope I got 'em right.
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1. 4/10 @ B-25. During the first possession series of the first extra period, A98’s field goal attempt is blocked and does not cross the neutral zone. Holder A12 recovers the ball at the B-30 and runs for a touchdown.
RULING:
A, try, B-3, no clock (40 and running).
Whether during regulation play or during an extra period, a scrimmage kick that fails to cross the neutral zone (by whatever means) may be caught/recovered by any player (of either team) and advanced. The down results in a 6-point touchdown for Team A.

2. Free Kick @ A-35. Team A executes an on-side kick and A33 is running near the sideline and steps out of bounds at the A-45. At the A-47 he leaps from out of bounds and bats the ball forward, and it rolls out of bounds at the A-49.
RULING:
B, 1/10, A-42, snap (40 and running).
When A33 touched the ball (when he batted it), the ball had touched a player who was out of bounds, so the ball was dead at that moment. On the premise that “touching precedes any other action” with the ball, the batting occurred after the ball was dead, so there is no foul for batting. However, the touching by an out of bounds player makes this an illegal kick out of bounds by Team A. The 5-yard penalty may be enforced at the spot where the dead-ball belongs to Team B (A-47), taking the ball to the A-42, where Team B is awarded a scrimmage series.
Alternatively, Team B may have the penalty enforced at the previous spot, taking the ball to the A-30, and the kickoff will be repeated. (This is not likely to be accepted, but we must have the HC make a choice).
Now, if S-B tell us that the batting by A33 is still a foul, then there are two fouls by Team A, and Team B will have to make a choice of the 5-yard penalty for the KOB, or the 10-yard penalty for the BAT. But, since Team A can’t gain anything by batting the ball that becomes dead and belongs to Team B, I don’t see this as being a foul (by rule, not by judgment).

3. 1/10 @ B-30. In the second quarter with the score tied, the game clock reads 0:45 at the snap. During the play, A55 loses his helmet. Right tackle A77 is flagged for holding at the B-25. The ball carrier is tackled inbounds at the B-21. Neither team has a timeout remaining. Play clock?
RULING:
A, 1/15, B-35, ready or snap (team B’s choice) (25). A55 may not participate in the next down (team A has exhausted their times-out, and can’t “buy” him back into the game for the next down).
Since the game clock is stopped for the penalty completion as well as the helmet-off, there is no opportunity for a 10-second subtraction from the game clock. The 10-yard penalty for A77’s holding foul is penalized at the spot of the foul, taking the ball to the B-35, where first down will be repeated. The play clock will be 25-seconds, and will start on the referee’s signal. Because the score is tied after the 2-minute time out, Team B (the offended team) will have the option to have the game clock start on the referee’s signal OR on the snap.

4. 2/10 @ B-30. The game clock is running in the fourth quarter. Team A trails by two points and is out of timeouts. After the ball is ready for play lineman A66 commits a false start, and the officials stop the game clock at 0:08.
RULING:
Game Over.
Because A66’s false start occurred after the 2-minute time out (and directly causes the game clock to stop), the penalty includes the option for a 10-second subtraction. Team A has no available times-out, and cannot avoid the 10SS. Team B will gladly accept the 10SS, which results in the expiration of playing time. Game over. A66’s teammates agree to never speak to A66 ever again.

5. 4/8 @ A-48. From a scrimmage kick formation, A32 punts the ball to the B-7 where it hits B25 on the leg. As the ball rolls along the ground, B25 then kicks it at the B-4 to prevent Team A from recovering. The ball bounces into Team B’s end zone and over the end line.
RULING:
B, free kick, B-20, free kick timing (25), OR, B, 1/10, B-2, snap (25).
B25 committed a foul for illegally kicking the ball at the B-4. That kicking of the ball imparts the impetus on the ball which causes it to become dead behind B’s goal line, which results in a safety – 2-points for Team A, with a free kick by Team B to follow at the B-20. (The penalty for the illegal kicking of the ball would be declined.)
Alternatively, Team A can refuse the safety, and accept the 10-yard (1/2 the distance) penalty for the illegal kicking of the ball, which (by PSK) would be penalized at the spot of the foul, taking the ball to the B-2, where Team B will be awarded a scrimmage series.

6. 4/8 @ B-35. Team A gains five yards and the ball is declared dead, after which B21 is called for a dead ball personal foul at the B-25.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-12 ½ B-15, snap (25).
Team A’s series ended, and, officially, Team B took possession of the ball when the ball became dead on 4th down. The dead-ball foul is penalized before the line-to-gain for Team B’s series is established. So, after the 15-yard (1/2 the distance) penalty is enforced from the dead-ball spot, Team B will have 1/10.

7. 3/10 @ B-30. Late in the 4th quarter with the score tied, Team A completes a pass over the middle and A88 is tackled inbounds at the B-15 for a first down. B27 remains on the ground and the Referee declares an official’s timeout for injury. There is 0:15 on the game clock. Neither team has a timeout remaining. Play clock?
RULING:
A, 1/10, B-15, ready/snap (Team A’s option) (40).
The game clock is stopped for the injury AND the first down, so there is no opportunity for a 10-second subtraction. Because of the tie score after the 2-minute time out in the 4th period, and the clock would otherwise start on the referee’s signal, Team A has the option to have the game clock start on the referee’s signal, or on the snap. By rule, the play clock is set to 40-seconds and will start on the referee’s signal (for what difference that will make). The game clock will start on the referee's signal (no option or reason to start on the snap).

8. 3/10 @ B-30. Late in the 4th quarter with the score tied, Team A completes a pass over the middle and A88 is tackled inbounds at the B-15 for a first down. B27 remains on the ground and the Referee declares an official’s timeout for injury. There is 0:05 on the game clock. Neither team has a timeout remaining. Play clock?
RULING:
A, 1/10, B-15, snap (40).
By special exception, when the game clock is stopped for other reason(s) in addition to an  injury with 10-seconds or less remaining in the 4th period, there is still an option for a 10-second subtraction from the game clock. Team A will (most likely) refuse the 10-second subtraction, and allow the game clock to be started on the snap (in lieu of on the referee’s signal). The play clock is set to 40-seconds, and starts on the referee’s signal.

ElvisLives:
2. Well, S-B confirmed that the touching of the ball, which made the ball dead, obviates the possibility of an illegal batting of the ball. Good to get that confirmation.

6. Some level of dyslexia, I suppose, caused me too penalize from the B-25. WRONG! The dead-ball spot was the B-30, ya doofus.

7. Boy, did I screw this one up. For some reason, I guess I thought there was a foul involved, because I tried to use 3-4-3-b to give Team A the option to start the clock on either the snap or ready. WRONG! That rule does not apply at all, ya doofus and the game clock starts on the referee's signal.

Not a good week for me.

TxJim:
#2. Play clock at 40?

ElvisLives:

--- Quote from: TxJim on November 06, 2025, 12:19:30 PM ---#2. Play clock at 40?

--- End quote ---

Yet another strike against me. Yes, completion of the penalty for the KOB sets the play clock to 25. I just had 40 on my mind, since, in the absence of a penalty completion, the play clock would be 40 and automatically started. But, that's not what happened.
Thanks.

I'm about to do Quiz 11, and see if I can get better.

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