Question Number: 35700

Other 9/15/2024

RE: Competitive High School

Shawn Gregg of Houston, TX United States asks...

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Kentucky Wildcats (NCAA Div 1): Less than 2 minutes left in game. Georgia is on offense and runs a play around the right end, the runner fumbles the ball. The ball rolls forward past the line to gain and another Georgia player recovers and the play is whistled dead upon recovery on the ground.
The ball is placed where the Georgia player recovered the ball, not back where the running back fumbled.
Georgia is awarded a first down.

Is this correct? I thought that only the player that fumbled the ball could recover for a gain, otherwise the ball goes back to where it was fumbled.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Shawn,
this is a SOCCER, a true world football site, not what we call pointy ball NFL!

However, you’re correct in your understanding of the rule.

According to the NCAA Football Rulebook, specifically Rule 7, Section 2, Article 2 (Forward Fumble). According to this rule, if a player fumbles the ball forward and it is recovered by a teammate, the ball should be placed at the spot of the fumble, not where it was recovered, unless the recovery is made by the player who fumbled the ball'
This rule is in place to prevent teams from gaining an unfair advantage by intentionally fumbling the ball forward.

In the scenario you described, if the ball was placed where the Georgia player recovered it and they were awarded a first down, it would be an incorrect application of the rule. The ball should have been placed back at the spot of the fumble. Only if the opposition had recovered the ball without the being downed thus intercepted and started running then they fumbled could this rule possibly be circumvented!

Georgia Bulldogs managed to secure a narrow victory with a final score of 13-12. The Bulldogs struggled for much of that match but managed to pull ahead in the second half thanks to a crucial touchdown by Branson Robinson. Kentucky had a chance to win in the final moments but couldn’t get past the 50-yard line.

If Georgia was say to be incorrectly awarded a first down due to the misplacement of the ball, it could have allowed them to maintain possession and potentially run out the clock, preventing Kentucky from having another opportunity to score.

In close games, every possession and decision can significantly impact the final result. If this error directly influenced Georgia’s ability to secure the win, it could be a critical factor in the game’s outcome.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Shawn
This s a soccer site and in my part of the world we call it football, association football.

NFL is shown in this part of the world and from time to time I take an interest in it. I’m always interested in who officials manage other sports.

From my limited knowledge I believe that if a player completes the pass and subsequently fumbles the ball forward that a fumble cannot advance the ball and the restart is at the location of the fumble.

But hey there lots of codes and nuances