Texas vs Cal near last play

[Texas Aggie]

It was under 3 seconds from when it was dropped, and picked up by the 3rd guy

Actually, it was OVER 3 seconds. I timed it several times, all in the 3 second plus range between the time the ball was dropped and when it was then touched.

Immediately means, to me, that the player doesn't break stride in going for the ball. 2 Texas players ran by the ball and a third (or fourth) picked it up but had no intention on continuing to play. That, to me, doesn't satisfy the rule.

I think we agree on the rest.

[MD Longhorn]

Doesn't "immediately" start when the ball stops moving?

Another question. Say you are the official ... and you DO see the ball drop before reaching the goal line. Then the rest of the play unfolds as it did. Do you stop play and rule this fumble unrecovered before the Texas player picks it up?

[scrounge]

The freeze frame of the moment of drop had the runner's extended left right just at/above the goal line, so the ball was easily well short. Now whether it was 1 yd or 3/4 of a yd? Who cares. Cal's ball on the 1 yd line or the .75 yd line or even the 0.5 line, but no chance it was over the goal line. Game over...score more pts next time, TX.

Edited to add: photographic proof....ball is already well out of his hand and still closer to the 1 yd line than the goal line. And neither of the two TX dudes even attempted to pick it up, the 3rd guy on the scene did - and that was only to give it to the ref. That's not in the immediate continuing action to me.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CsncxhmUAAAI0pX.jpg

[InsideTheStripe]

The B gave a signal (TD) that caused a live ball to become dead, which is adjudicated the same as an inadvertent whistle (4-1-2-b-2).