Game called due to fighting
 

I don't do football. How does FED rule when game is called with 2:09 left due to "fighting"? Score is 30 to 16. Or NCAA if that's what they use in TX.

The TX HS athletic ass'n uses NCAA, while TX Pop Warner uses Fed.

NCAA's rule book actually has a section, "Fighting". However, there's no obvious provision therein for a game to be "called". So you'd have to construct a scenario whereby enough players would be disqualified that nobody'd be left to play the game. Trouble is, technically that makes it a double forfeit; they have those in chess, not sure about football.

The rule in most codes is that if one team forfeits while they're behind, the score at that point stands. But forfeiture would appear not to be the case here. In adult team sports of any kind, usually if enough fighting breaks out, the game is called for practical reasons. So then unless it's a league where scores figure as a standings tiebreaker, you'd have to ask the bookies. I think most of them would take the score as final. Go by the standard of baseball, where half the game makes it official, and less than half is a push.

They do use NCAA rules in Texas.

Even so, that's an issue the state association would have to address, not something the officials would have any involvement in.

I won't say you're incorrect but I will say I've never seen or heard of a youth football organization in Texas use NFHS rules. Can you provide reference to one in particular that does?

To answer just this part: if the coaches and referee agree, the game can be terminated. NFHS 3-1-3

Give us the context of this game. Was it a high school game? Junior High? Youth League?

I can't imagine ending a Varsity game due to fighting. I CAN imagine ejecting so many players that a team has to forfeit (especially smaller schools), but if we're done adjudicating the fight and there are players left to play, we're playing.

That said ... at youth or sub-V I might give a very different answer.

Pop Warner uses Pop Warner rules. No youth league I've ever been associated with used FED as the basis for their rules. It was always NCAA (with 2 exceptions using NFL) rules with modifications.

5A varsity: Welcome to EaglePassSportsCentral

Other than saying, "This guy writes for a living and has 30 experience doing so ... and still writes like this?!?!?!?!" my only comment is...

Wow.

If his statement that the benches cleared is accurate then they probably made the right call.

Benches have cleared before. I've never heard of giving up over it though. I wonder how their supervisors feel about it. I wonder if the officials themselves felt threatened (which makes more sense than just calling it over what's in this story).

This makes for a horrible precedent. If there are no consequences, then the next time some team is up by 2 scores late but doesn't trust its defense ... just clear the benches and you win. I'm hating everything about this story (at least the parts we know right now).

Seems to me if it got so bad the officials had to call it, it should be a double-forfeit.

I wouldn't assume the game is automatically going to be a win, the UIL will make the final decision. They may issue a double forfeit. I doubt the officials declared the game over and a certain team a winner. They more than likely suspended it as per TASO/UIL guidelines. We are told numerous times a year we do not end a game, we simply suspend it. A technical difference but an important one.

Players and substitutes leaving their team area to participate in a fight are DQd by rule so if the benches clear and they moving to participate in the fight, I can very easily see there not being enough players left to finish the contest.

Without seeing the video, I think the crew did the right thing. The UIL can sort out the mess.

No idea what NCAA rules regarding forfiture might be, but under the NFHS code, 1-1-10 advises, "The referee's decision to forfeit a game is final".

NF: 1-1-8, referencing the officials jurisdiction parameters includes the following, "State Associationsmay intercede in the event of unusual incidents that occur before, during or after the game officials jurisdiction has ended or in the event that a game is terminated prior to the conclusion of regulation play."

Whether the incident provoking a decision to terminate a contest is a fight, brawl or full fledged riot would certainly have an effect on whatever decision was ultimately rendered. Common sense and the judgment of game officials to decide whether, or not, resuming play makes any sense after an incident is based on the continued safety of game participants.

Decisions on how the contest should ultimately be classifed (win, loss, forfeit, rescheduled continuation) would be made by the appropriate management level after the safety factors have been accounted for.

Another article on the game:

Eagle Pass Business Journal Referees stop Eagles football game with Laredo United after two bench clearing brawls

Fighting between 2 (or a small number) of players, yes. Fighting that leads to bench clearing lunacy, I can't imaging NOT suspending the game. It just depends -- if you think the crew has control by whatever means, continue. But if not, suspend the game and let UIL and the district committee work it out. You can't go wrong ruling in the favor of safety and not risking further out of control antics.