Hitting/pass interference on tipped ball

[StudyingFutureZebra]

I couldn't find anything in the NCAA rulebook about it, but can you hit a receiver if you're a DB when the ball is tipped by that receiver? I wish I had the video to show you, but I saw this a couple weeks ago. Nicholls State has the ball 2nd and 9 at the Western Michigan 30 early in the 4th quarter. NSU#12 throws a pass tipped straight up by the NSU receiver. WMU #7 after the tip, leads with his shoulder and hits the NSU receiver in the upper back area sending him to the ground. WMU #7 gets called for a personal foul even though the ball was tipped and the receiver still could have caught the ball.

What was that for? I know in the NFL that would have been legal.

[NVFOA_Ump]

I would expect that the covering official judged that the hit was against a defenseless player (see Rule 2) and was a dangerous hit that went well beyond what was required to defend on the play putting the receiver at risk of serious injury.  Without a video of the play to see the timing and actual contact there is not much more that can be said.

Per Rule 2-27-14-b:  Defenseless Player
ARTICLE 14. A defenseless player is one who because his physical position and focus of concentration is especially vulnerable to injury. Examples of defenseless players are:

b. A receiver attempting to catch a pass, or one who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a ball carrier.

[maven]

Might be 9-1-12-a:

ARTICLE 12. a. No player shall tackle or run into a receiver when a forward pass to him obviously is not catchable. This is a personal foul and not pass interference.

[Sonofanump]

I know in the NFL that would have been legal.

Interesting.