YOU MAKE THE CALL>End of game penalty

[SweetHomeAlabama]

In the college game I have always assumed that a game can't end on a defensive penalty but could on an offensive penalty. But after reading the ncaa rules I am not so sure anymore. The following rule was found in the ncaa.org rules section:

Extension of Periods
ARTICLE 3. A period shall be extended until a down (other than a try), free
from live-ball fouls not penalized as dead-ball fouls, has been played when:

a. A penalty is accepted for a live-ball foul(s) not penalized as a dead-ball
foul that occurs during a down in which time expires (Exception: Rule
10-2-2-g-1) (A.R. 3-2-3-I-VIII).

b. Offsetting fouls occur during a down in which time expires.

c. An inadvertent whistle is sounded or an official signals the ball dead
during a down in which time expires.



There is not any mention of defensive or offensive penatlies, just live-ball penalties.



The reason I ask this is because of the LSU game. What if Coffee, on the last play of regulation, had gotten down to the 15 yard line and threw a pass into the endzone for a touchdown. If LSU declines the penalty, would it not be a touchdown? And if they accept the penalty, it is a spot foul, meaning the ball would be spotted at the 30 yard line with one more play to go?

 

[Jref]

What if Coffee, on the last play of regulation, had gotten down to the 15 yard line and threw a pass into the endzone for a touchdown. If LSU declines the penalty, would it not be a touchdown? And if they accept the penalty, it is a spot foul, meaning the ball would be spotted at the 30 yard line with one more play to go?

I don't have an NCAA book available, but I'm sure the rule is the same as the HS rule:

There is an exception for a foul which carries a loss-of-down provision as part of the penalty, which is the case with an illegal forward pass. In that instance, there is no extension of the period.

The HS rule was changed this year to prevent a team from gaining an advantage by fouling, and was one of the few changes ever initiated by officials to pass the committee.

 

[bamajake]

Interesting question. Jref is right about the high school rule. I took a quick look at the NCAA rules to see if there is a similar rule in college football. Guess what -- I couldn't find it. The closest that I could find is an official interpretation that says that there is a five yard penalty from the spot the pass was thrown and the down counts. That is not to say that the rule that we have in high school does not exist in college football, it only means that I did not see it. If that is the case, in your scenario, the ball would have been spotted on the 20 and we would have been lined up for a 37 yard field goal on an extra play. Can you imagine what would have happened if this had actually taken place?

 

[TideHead]

Guys, we would have actually been closer than that. Coffee was tackled at the 8 yard line.

If CMS would have drawn this play up and actually had a wide out open in the end zone and had Coffee throw it to him, he would have been an absolute genious.

There certainly would be a rule change next year, but that would not have mattered Saturday.

 

[bamajake]

You are right about a rules change for next year Tidehead. Many rules changes are the result of something that happens that is within the rules but just doesn't seem right, so the rules are changed for the following year. This may be one instance where the high school game is a little ahead of the college game.