[Bob M.]

REPLY: Here are two plays that might help:

PLAY: A10 enters B’s end zone by running from the field of play into the endzone while (a) holding the ball over the goal line, or (b) holding the ball over the out-of-bounds area—outside the pylon—so that it passes over the extension of the goal line. RULING: In both cases, it is a TD for A. Whether it crosses the goal line itself, or the extended goal line, it’s a touchdown. In this case, the extended goal line does have significance since the runner was touching the ground inbounds.

PLAY: Runner A42 leaves the field of play at the two yardline and dives for the endzone, but crosses the sideline at B’s one. He passes over an extension of the goal line, and lands in the area beyond the extension of the goal line adjacent to B's endzone. (a) He is able to reach with the ball in such a way that it passes inside the pylon and over the goal line, or (b) the ball passes over the extension of the goal line outside the pylon. RULING: In (a) it’s a TD since the ball crossed the plane of the goal line; (b) the ball would be dead at B’s 1 (the spot where the ball crossed the sideline). The extension of the goal line has no significance in (b) since the runner was not touching the ground inbounds.