College replay rules/ requirements

[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by chas

Settle down fellas! I'm 57 and I've watched countless sporting events. My wife bemoans the fact that she married me in March. I watched the Illini lose to Austin Peay whilst on our honeymoon back in 1985. I do know not to listen to various announcers, like a Billy Packer, but in this situation I couldn't figure out why they went to replay when it was obvious the O lineman went into the endzone. That's when I figured maybe they were looking at who touched the pass first, thinking that somehow an O lineman isn't eligible to touch no matter who touched the pass first.

Officials just get upset that announcers 99% of the time are feeding the fans incorrect information and they take that information as being true so we end up getting the abuse by fans with false information. Now to the specific question you asked. Per rule, an original ineligible player becomes eligible only after the ball is touched by a Team B (defensive) player or an official. Imagine the QB passing the ball and it bounces off the umpire into Guard #56 for a catch and runs into the end zone. Legal play since the ball touching an officials makes everyone eligible to catch the pass.
Don't tell the coaches that cause I'm sure they may start creating some trick play by deflecting the ball off the umpire.