Touchdown?

[red]

Team A runs down the field toward Team B endzone. At the two yard line, B1 forces a fumble from A1 and the ball goes into the endzone a) past the endline, b) out of bounds in the endzone along the sideline. Touchdown in either case?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by red

Team A runs down the field toward Team B endzone. At the two yard line, B1 forces a fumble from A1 and the ball goes into the endzone a) past the endline, b) out of bounds in the endzone along the sideline. Touchdown in either case?

Neither case. Try again?

[red]

It wouldn't be a safety as loose ball goes to team of last possession.

[red]

ok. I found an example - it is a touchback, not a touchdown. Is there a difference in ruling between the two senarios- endline verses sideline? I'm still digging into the rule book.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by red

ok. I found an example - it is a touchback, not a touchdown. Is there a difference in ruling between the two senarios- endline verses sideline? I'm still digging into the rule book.

No difference. The ball is out of the endzone in both cases.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by red

ok. I found an example - it is a touchback, not a touchdown. Is there a difference in ruling between the two senarios- endline verses sideline? I'm still digging into the rule book.

You need to understand the definition of force. After that you need to read rule 8 Scoring Plays and Touchback. Section 5 Force, Safety and Touchback will be extra important to this play.

There is no difference between sideline and endline. The ball became dead in the end zone. That means it is either a touchdown, safety, or touchback. A was not in possession of the ball in the endzone so it cannot be a touchdown. That means it must be a safety or touchback. You must understand who forced the ball into the endzone. In your play A fumbled which forced the ball into the endzone and it became dead there. Since A forced it into the endzone it is a touchback. Had B forced the ball into the endzone it would be a safety.

[Robert Goodman]

The case that differs is the one where the ball comes to rest in the end zone with nobody trying to secure possession -- like that's going to happen.

[Bullycon]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

The case that differs is the one where the ball comes to rest in the end zone with nobody trying to secure possession -- like that's going to happen.

I had a middle school game last year where A fumbled into the end zone, and there was a pile up of about five or six players over the ball. I blew my whistle and went in to unstack the pile. When I got to the bottom, there was one defender sitting on the ground next to a loose ball. Oops.

He immediately grabbed the ball and I signaled touchback.

I guess that would qualify as an inadvertant whistle rather than a loose ball that nobody is trying to possess. But it reminded me of that story, anyway.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by red

Team A runs down the field toward Team B endzone. At the two yard line, B1 forces a fumble from A1 and the ball goes into the endzone a) past the endline, b) out of bounds in the endzone along the sideline. Touchdown in either case?

CANADIAN RULING:

Team A retains possession at the point of fumble. Downs continue, which means 1D is appropriate.