Took me a while to get to this. Check me.
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1. 2/7 @ A-25. Team A is ahead in the score late in the 4th quarter. When ball carrier A22 is tackled in the field of play at the A-35, the game clock reads 1:47. The umpire reports to the referee that he has a flag for holding by snapper A55 at the A-26.
RULING:
A, 2/16, A-16, snap (25).
Team B has the option to have the game clock started on the snap or referee’s signal when the game clock is stopped to complete a penalty for a foul by the team ahead in score (Team A, in this case), if it would otherwise start on the referee’s signal. The fact that the game clock was also stopped for the apparent first down does not cancel this option by the offended team. Although we don’t know the score differential, Team B would most likely accept the option to have the clock start on the snap.
2. 2/10 @ B-30. The game clock is running late in the 2nd half. 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 when the officials stop the game clock it reads 8 seconds.
RULING:
Game over. When a foul that directly causes the game clock to stop occurs during the last 2-minutes of the 2nd/4th period, the offended team has the option to have 10 seconds subtracted from the game clock. Since the offending team is ahead in score and has no team times-out remaining, and the 10SS would cause the game to end, the offended team (Team B) will obviously accept the 10SS. The Referee declares the game over, and all game officials look for stadium security and exit the field as quickly as possible.
3. 2/10 @ B-30. The game clock is running late in the 2nd half. Team A trails by two points and is out of timeouts. At the snap Team A has five players in the backfield. A22 carries for a ten-yard gain to the B- 20. When the ball is declared dead the game clock reads 8 seconds.
RULING:
A, 1/10, B-20, 2/15, B-35, ready (25).
Illegal formation by Team A (live-ball foul). The events of this down do not qualify for any adjustment to the game clock, or any change or option to when the game clock will next start.
4. 2/5 @ B-20. Late in the 4th quarter with the game clock running, Tackle B77 is in the neutral zone at the snap but does not make contact. QB A12 rolls out to pass, runs to the B-17 and throws a forward pass to conserve time, which falls incomplete. The game clock reads 0:15.
RULING:
A, 2/5, B-20, 0:15 (4), snap (25).
Offsetting live-ball fouls (offside by Team B, illegal forward pass by Team A). With offsetting fouls, there are no adjustment to the game clock, or any change or option to when the game clock will next start.
5. 3/10 @ B-40. QB A12 takes the snap and rolls out to the right. Finding no receiver open, A12 turns up field and runs. After making the line to gain, A12 breaks stride as if he is going to slide feet first at the B- 27, stays upright and runs for a touchdown.
RULING:
Insufficient information – need to know period and time remaining.
A, 1/10, B-27; 1st or 3rd period, or 2 or more minutes in the 2nd or 4th periods: game clock does not stop (40 and running); with less than 2 minutes in the 2nd or 4th periods, ready (40 and running).
Although not a foul, when a ball carrier breaks his stride and appears to begin a ‘slide,’ the ball is dead immediately, next down (see above for game clock status).
6. 2/10 @ A-25. In the 3rd quarter, A88 is airborne and secures firm control of A12’s forward pass. A88’s right foot lands inbounds, and he maintains firm control of the ball as he goes to the ground inbounds at the A-45. Player B21, who was standing out of bounds, had his hand touching the ball while A88 was airborne and in firm control of the ball at the A-44.
RULING:
A, 1/10, A-45, ready (40 and running).
A player who touches a ball in possession of another player does not affect the ‘live’ status of the ball. Play continues, and the game clock continues to run while the play clock is set to 40 seconds and starts when A88 goes to the ground inbounds (dead-ball).
7. 4/Goal @ B-1. As the snapper A55 takes his position with the clock running early in the 4th quarter, he moves the ball forward and the nose of the football breaks the plane of the goal line. After the snap, QB A12 hands the ball to A44 who dives into the end zone.
RULING:
A, 4/goal, B-1, ready (25).
Per the Officiating Standards, the snapper is not permitted to move the ball forward over/beyond the goal line. The game shall be interrupted, and the ball repositioned to the correct succeeding spot, and the snapper and his head coach warned against this action. A false start is to be ‘considered’ with subsequent incidences.
8. 4/5 @ 50. A98’s punt is untouched beyond the neutral zone when A88 reaches across Team B’s goal line and bats the ball back into the field of play. B21 recovers at the B-2 and advances to the B-12 where A66 tackles him by pulling his facemask.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-27, snap (25).
A88’s batting of the ball beyond B’s goal line is not a foul, but is illegal touching. Team B will refuse the illegal touching privilege (which would have given them the ball at the B-20), and accept the 15-yard penalty for the facemask foul, enforced from the end of the run (B-12), taking the ball to the B-27, where Team B will next snap the ball.
