How'd I do?
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1. 3/5 @ B-40. After the ball is ready for play with the clock running and the umpire (or center judge) in his regular position, Team A quickly replaces some players with substitutes, gets set for the required one second and snaps the ball. The umpire (or center judge) is attempting to get to the ball to allow the defense to match up, but he is unable to prevent the snap. The officials get the play shut down as A12 is handing off to A44.
RULING:
A, 3/10, B-45, ready (25). Team A Head Coach is warned that further attempts to use this tactic will result in a UNS foul and penalty. (Although the warning/UNS language was removed from the AR, following their summer clinics, FBS officials have confirmed that the first occurrence is the DOG foul, and all subsequent occurrences are UNS fouls.)
AR 3-5-2-V (edited for 2025)
2. 3/10 @ B-32. Late in the first half, Team A is out of timeouts. The 3rd down pass is complete and ends inbounds at the B-25 short of the line to gain with the game clock showing 0:10. Facing fourth down and three, Team A immediately hurries its field goal team onto the field. Team A gets set and kicks a successful FG as time expires.
RULING:
Halftime.
Team B is NOT given an enhanced opportunity to make substitutions for the field goal attempt. Team A is awarded three points for the successful field goal. Since time expired during the down, the period is over.
AR 3-5-2-VII
3. 3/G @ B-10. Late in the game, Team A trails by 3 points and A12 completes a pass to A88 who is downed at the B-2 inbounds. The running clock is at 39 seconds when A88 is downed, and the Team A offense stays on the field to run a 4th down play. When the game clock gets to 15 seconds, the Team A coach decides to try a field goal and then rushes the field goal unit onto the field. The Referee goes into the “T” indicating substitution mechanics and before the Center Judge (or Umpire) can get to the ball, the center snaps the ball with 8 seconds remaining on the game clock. The Referee shuts the play down.
RULING:
Game over.
Team A commits a foul for delay of game (or a UNS if this is the second or more “quick sub” attempt and Team B can’t complete their substitutions). The foul stops the clock, and inside 2 minutes in the 4th period, this foul qualifies for a 10-second subtraction. Team B will accept the penalty and the 10SS, and the game is over. Team B wins.
4. 3/1 @ B-45. With the clock running, Team A hustles to the line and snapper A55 snaps the ball before the ball is made ready for play. A12 muffs the snap and B51 recovers the ball at the B-44.
RULING:
A, 3/6, 50, ready (25).
A55 commits a foul for putting the ball in play before it is declared ready for play by the Referee. The ball is dead immediately when the snapper begins to move the ball, so the action that followed is ignored.
5. 4/Goal @ B-8. Runner A44 is hit at the B-5 and fumbles, and B54 bats the grounded loose ball at the B-3 back into his own end zone. A88 sees the loose ball and recovers while the ball is still in the end zone.
RULING:
B, Free Kick, B-20, free kick timing (25).
The natural result of the down is a safety, 2 points for Team A, because B54’s batting of the ball applied the impetus on the ball which became dead behind B’s goal line. By official interpretation, the fourth down fumble rule is superseded by the safety rules.
AR 8-5-XI
6. 4/Goal @ B-8. Runner A44 is hit at the B-5 and fumbles, and B54 bats the grounded loose ball at the B-3 back into his own end zone. B21 sees the loose ball, dives and recovers the ball while grounded while the ball is still in the end zone.
RULING:
B, Free Kick, B-20, free kick timing (25).
The natural result of the down is a safety, 2 points for Team A, because B54’s batting of the ball applied the impetus on the ball which became dead behind B’s goal line.
7. 4/Goal @ B-8. Runner A44 is hit at the B-5 and fumbles, and B54 bats the grounded loose ball at the B-3 back into his own end zone. B21 sees the loose ball, and recovers the ball while it is still in the end zone. B21 advances to the B-10 where he is tackled.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-10, snap (25).
The ball did not become dead before B21 recovered the ball, and the ball could be advanced. By doing so, B21 avoided a safety.
8. 4/10 @ A-7. A36 intends to punt from behind its goal line, but he muffs the ball. After A36 recovers the ball, he runs into the pylon at the intersection of the sideline and goal line. When A36’s foot first makes contact with the pylon, the forward nose of the football is just breaking the plane of the goal line back in the field of play.
RULING:
A, Free Kick, A-20, free kick timing (25).
The natural result of the down is a safety, 2 points for Team B.
To avoid a safety, no part of the ball may be touching or penetrating the plane of the goal line.
AR 8-5-1-VII.
