Referee Mag Sept 03 page 21 double foul

[Mike Simonds]

Did anyone catch the error in this case play? In a nutshell, B intercepts A's forward pass, B blocks A in the back during the runback, then A grasps B's facemask in making the tackle.

Referee says enforce both fouls and B gets to keep the ball. I disagree. Under rule 10-2-2 B has to decline A's foul in order to retain possession (after being penalized for their foul).

[Warrenkicker]

Yes this error was already covered in a previous thread on page 2 of the Football Forum. Good catch anyway.

Originally posted by Bob M.
I've already posted this on the "other" board so some of you may be seeing this twice. Sorry...

Interesting play in the September edition of "REFEREE Magazine" in their Caseplays on p. 21.

PLAY: Team A's ball 1-10 at his own 20 yardline. A1's legal forward pass is intercepted by B2 at the 50 yardline. During B2's advance, B3 blocks A4 in the back at team A's 40 yardline. In the process of making the tackle at Team A's 30 yardline, A5 grasps but does not twist B2's face mask. How are the penalties enforced.
RULING: Team B may keep the ball because it gained possession with "clean hands," but both fouls will likely be enforced. The 10 yard penalty for B's block in the back is enforced from the spot of the foul and moves the ball to the 50 yardline. The five yard face mask foul by A5 is then enforced, leaving B with first and ten from Team A's 45 yardline.

They then go on to say, "Both codes agree (NF 10-3-2, 10-4-4; NCAA 10-2-2c-3)"

Have I been on vacation too long?? Unless I'm severely mistaken, this ruling is not correct in either code! The NF ruling ignores NF 10-2-2, and the NCAA ruling ignores NCAA 10-1-4-1. In both codes, B may only keep the ball if it declines the penalty for its opponent's foul. Has REFEREE begun letting the NF Case Book editors author this column, or have I just read this play incorrectly twenty times?