PSU/OSU Illegal Batting Question

[FeetBallRef]

Originally Posted by Backjudge79

It looked pretty obvious like a bat to me. Are the college batting rules different then NFHS?

2008 NCAA® FOOTBALL RULES
RULE 2-8 / DEFINITIONS FR -45
SECTION 10. Fumbling, Muffing, Batting,
Touching or Blocking a Kick
Batting
ARTICLE 3. Batting the ball is intentionally striking it or intentionally
changing its direction with the hands or arms.

RULE 9-3 / CONDUCT OF PLAYERS AND OTHERS SUBJECT TO RULE FR -129
SECTION 4. Batting and Kicking
Batting a Loose Ball
c. No player shall bat other loose balls forward in the field of play or in any
direction if the ball is in the end zone (Rule 2-2-3-a)

PENALTY—15 yards from the basic spot and loss of down if the loss
of down is not in conflict with other rules [S31 and S9]
[Exception: No loss of down if the foul occurs when a legal
scrimmage kick is beyond the neutral zone (Rules 10-2-2-c,
d, e and f)].

[Backjudge79]

So according to the rules it is ok for B to bat a loose ball backward in the field of play?

[FeetBallRef]

Originally Posted by Backjudge79

So according to the rules it is ok for B to bat a loose ball backward in the field of play?

There were 2 bats when the ball was loose after the fumble. It was a "foreward bat" for PSU #46, and then it was a "backward bat" for PSU #10.

YouTube - Penn State at Ohio State - Fumble recovery

[Theisey]

I'd be willing to bat, I mean bet that when the season is over and PSU has won their BCS game, the player is finally going to come out and say if I had not batted that ball in the OSU game, we'd not have been here to win another championship.

[TXMike]

I am surprised he has not done so already I do not think there are that many folks yet who recognize if he did it deliberately it was a foul.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by TXMike

I am surprised he has not done so already I do not think there are that many folks yet who recognize if he did it deliberately it was a foul.

Of course they don't realize it was illegal. To them it was a smart play.

[bigjohn]

and since it wasn't called, pure Genius!