Poinsettia Bowl Pylon Question

[jimpiano]

The Utah runner is trying to score and lunges toward the end zone at the pylon. While in the air he releases the ball which deflects off the pylon and lands out of bounds.

The ruling on the field was Utah ball at the one yard line.

The replay clearly shows the player in the air, the ball free before it glances off the pylon.

The replay official upholds the ruling on the field with an explanation to the TV crew that the player was out of bounds when the ball hit the pylon.

The Rulebook says:

SECTION 2. Out of Bounds
Player Out of Bounds
ARTICLE 1. a. A player or an airborne player is out of bounds when any
part of his person touches anything, other than another player or game
official, on or outside a boundary line (A.R. 4-2-1-I and II).
b. A player or an airborne player who touches a pylon is out of bounds.

This was clearly not the case since the player did not touch anything out of bounds while he had possession of the ball and never touched the pylon.


Held Ball Out of Bounds
ARTICLE 2. A ball in player possession is out of bounds when either the
ball or any part of the runner touches the ground or anything else that is on
or outside a boundary line except another player or game official.

Also not applicable in this case


Ball Out of Bounds
ARTICLE 3. a. A ball not in player possession, other than a kick that scores
a field goal, is out of bounds when it touches the ground, a player, a game
official or anything else that is on or outside a boundary line.
b. A ball that touches a pylon is out of bounds behind the goal line.
c. If a live ball not in player possession crosses a boundary line and then is
declared out of bounds, it is out of bounds at the crossing point.

Clearly B was what happened in this play.

So the question is if the ball was out of bounds behind the goal line, as described above, was the spotting of the ball at the one the correct call?