Quirky, but I believe I got 'em all.
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1. 4/12 @ A-35. Just after the snap, lineman B77 grabs guard A66 and pulls him to one side, allowing linebacker B43 to shoot the gap to try to block the kick. B44 catches the kick at the B-25 and returns to the B-40 where he is tackled.
RULING:
A, 1/10, A-45, snap (25).
B77 commits a foul for holding prior to the kick. The Basic Spot for this penalty is the previous spot, and the 10-yard penalty is enforced from the Basic Spot, and includes a first down for Team A. Because of the legal kick down, the play clock is set to 25 seconds, and starts on the referee’s signal, and the game clock will start on the snap.
2. Try @ B-3. A91’s kick is successful and B77 lined up in the neutral zone. After the ball is dead, B54 commits a personal foul.
RULING:
A, try, B-3/4, no clock, 25, with free kick from the A-35 to follow.
Team A accepts the 5-yard (1/2 the distance) penalty for the offside foul from the previous spot, and the down is repeated; the 15-yard (1/2 the distance) penalty for B54’s dead-ball UNR is enforced from the spot where the offside penalty leaves the ball; following the try, Team A will have a kickoff from the A-35.
OR,
1-point for Team A; Team A, kickoff, 50, free kick timing (25).
Team A declines the penalty for B77’s offside foul, and accepts the field goal score. Team A elects to enforce the 15-yard penalty for B54’s dead-ball UNR on the succeeding kickoff.
NOTE: If the penalty for the DOF is accepted, the penalty for the UNR must also be completed on the repeat of the try.
3. 3/5 @ A-40. Midway through the 4th quarter, QB A12 drops back in the pocket to pass. Under a heavy rush, he flips a backward pass to back A22 who carries the ball outside the tackle box. About to be tackled, A22 at the A-34 throws a forward pass that crosses the neutral zone and lands in an area 20 yards away from the nearest Team A eligible receiver.
RULING:
A, 4/16, A-34, snap (25).
A22 commits a foul for intentional grounding. The penalty is loss of down at the spot of the pass. A22 was not the receiver of the snap; thus, he is not allowed to ‘ground’ the ball by throwing it across the neutral zone while outside the tackle box, without an eligible Team A receiver “in the area.”
4. 3/5 @ A-40. Midway through the 4th quarter, QB A12 is in a shotgun formation. He muffs the snap at the A-35 and the ball is picked up by A22 inside the tackle box. Under a heavy rush, A22 gets outside the tackle box and at the A-33 throws the ball and it falls incomplete beyond the neutral zone.
RULING:
A, 4/5, A-40, snap (40 and running).
A22 is the true receiver of the snap; thus, he is eligible to legally ground the ball from a point outside the tackle box, if the pass crosses the neutral zone.
5. 3/10 @ A-30. Midway through 2nd quarter, QB A11 drops back to pass. As he is about to be tackled at the A-20, A11 throws the ball forward to an area where there are no eligible receivers and tackle A77 catches the pass at the A-28 and is tackled at the A-32.
RULING:
A, 4/20, A-20, snap (25).
By official NCAA interpretation, A11 commits a foul for intentional grounding when, while in the tackle box, he throws the ball into an area NOT occupied by an ELIGIBLE player of Team A. Note that A77 does not commit a foul for illegal touching when he catches pass, because the pass is illegal, and illegal touching can only occur on a legal forward pass.
6. 2/10 @ A-25. During A21’s run, he fumbles the ball at the A-33 which strikes the ground and bounces into the air. B49 in pursuit, jumps from well inbounds at the A-35 and gains firm control of the ball while airborne at the A-37, crosses the boundary and returns to the ground out of bounds at the A-38.
RULING:
A, 3/2, A-33, ready (40 and running).
B49 does not gain player possession of the ball since he did not return to the ground inbounds after holding the ball while airborne; therefore, Team A retains team possession. This becomes a forward fumble out of bounds, and the ball is placed at the yard line where the ball was fumbled, with the down advancing. By rule, the game clock starts on the referee’s signal following a forward fumble out of bounds.
7. 4/8 @ B-35. A21’s run gains four yards and the ball is declared dead, after which B54 is called for a dead ball personal foul.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-20, snap (25).
The ball belongs to Team B at the dead-ball spot (B-31), then the 15-yard penalty for B54’s dead-ball UNR is enforced, taking the ball to the B-16, where the line-to-gain is established for Team B’s scrimmage series.
8. 2/Goal @ B-3. Ball carrier A21 is downed at the one-yard line and then B67 piles on. A21 retaliates by punching B67.
RULING:
A, 3/G, B-2, ready (25), A21 is ejected.
The penalties for the opposing dead-ball fouls cancel, and the down number is unaffected by the penalties. Thus, the down is, correctly, third down, with goal to go. A21 is ejected for the flagrant striking foul.
