RULE 8: Scoring

Question 1

Ball carrier A1, while attempting to score, strikes the pylon located on the right intersection of the goal line and sideline with his foot. He is carrying the ball in his right arm, which is extended over the sideline.

Answer 1

RULING: Whether or not a touchdown is scored depends on the forward progress of the ball as related to the goal line when the ball becomes dead by rule
(Rules 4-2-4-d and 5-1-3-a).

Question 2

Ball carrier A1, advancing in the field of play, becomes airborne at the two-yard line. His first contact with the ground is out of bounds three yards beyond the goal line. The ball, in possession of the ball carrier, passes over the pylon

Answer 2

RULING: Touchdown (Rule 4-2-4-d).

Question 3

The ball, in possession of airborne ball carrier A21, crosses the sideline above the one-yard line, continues beyond the pylon and is then declared dead out of bounds in possession of A21.

Answer 3

RULING: Ball is declared out of bounds at the one-yard line (Rules 2-12-1 and 4-2-4-d).

Question 4

Quarterback A12 completes a forward pass to a teammate who is standing in Team B’s end zone. (a) A12 is beyond the neutral zone when he releases
the ball. (b) The receiver is wearing uniform number 73.

Answer 4

RULING: In (a) and (b) the result of the play is a touchdown. The penalty is completed according to Team B’s options.

Question 5

Ball carrier A22 dives for the goal line at the B-1. The ball in his possession (a) touches the pylon; (b) goes over the top of the pylon; (c) crosses the goal
line inside the pylon. A22 then first contacts the ground out of bounds three yards beyond the goal line.

Answer 5

RULING: (a), (b) and (c) Touchdown in all three. The ball in A22’s possession has broken the plane of the goal line in all three scenarios.

Question 6

Ball carrier A22 heads for the right-hand pylon at the goal line. At the B-2 he dives or is blocked into the air by an opponent. The ball in A22’s right hand crosses the sideline at the B-1 and passes outside the pylon, and then A22 (a) touches the pylon with his foot or left hand; (b) first touches the ground out of bounds three yards beyond the goal line.

Answer 6

RULING: (a) Touchdown. The goal-line plane is extended since A22 touches the pylon. (b) Not a touchdown. The goal-line plane is not extended because A22 did not touch either the pylon or the ground in the end zone. The ball is ruled out of bounds at the B-1.

Question 7

Ball carrier A22 heads for the right-hand pylon at the goal line. The ball in his right hand crosses the extension of the goal line outside (i.e., to the right of) the pylon, and then A22 steps (a) on the goal line; (b) on the sideline inches short of the goal line.

Answer 7

RULING: (a) Touchdown. The goal-line plane is extended because A22 touches the ground in the end
zone. (b) Not a touchdown. The goal-line plane is not extended. The ball is ruled out of bounds at the crossing point

Question 8

Ball carrier A22 heads for the right-hand pylon at the goal line. The ball is in his right hand. His foot hits the pylon just before the ball crosses (a) the pylon or (b) the extension of the goal line just to the right (outside) of the pylon.

Answer 8

RULING: (a) and (b) No touchdown in either case. Because the pylon is out of bounds the ball is dead when A22’s foot hits it. Thus in both cases the ball is dead before it crosses the goal line

Question 9

Ball carrier A1 is hit and his forward progress stopped inbounds near the goal line at the sideline to his right. When he is stopped he has the ball in his right hand extended beyond the goal line (a) inside the pylon; (b)
outside the pylon.

Answer 9

RULING: (a) Touchdown. The ball became dead when
he extended it beyond the goal-line plane. (b) Not a touchdown, because no part of his body touches either the pylon or the end zone. In this case the goal-line plane is not extended.

Question 10

Ball carrier A33 is running toward the Team B goal line. A33 drops the ball at the one-yard line, circles through the end zone and runs to the team area, believing a touchdown has been scored. There is no touchdown signal by any official. The fumbled ball hits the ground just outside the goal line, rolls along the ground in the end zone, and is declared dead there when it comes to rest and no player attempts to recover it

Answer 10

RULING: When a fumble comes to rest inbounds and no player attempts to secure the ball in advance of the spot of the fumble, the ball belongs to the fumbling team at the spot of the fumble. Team A’s ball at the 1-yard line

Question 11

During a try, after having obtained possession, Team B fumbles and Team A recovers in the Team B end zone

Answer 11

RULING: Team B can fumble after intercepting a pass, catching or recovering a fumble or recovering a backward pass. Touchdown. Award Team A two points (Rule 8-3-2-d-1).

Question 12

B19 is the first player beyond the neutral zone to touch Team A’s blocked kick try when B19 muffs the in-flight kick in the end zone. A66 recovers in the end zone.

Answer 12

RULING: Award Team A two points.

Question 13

On a try attempt, B2 adds new impetus to a Team A fumble that is recovered in the Team B end zone by Team B.

Answer 13

RULING: Safety, award Team A one point (Rules 8-3-1 and 8-5-1).

Question 14

On a try attempt, B2 kicks a Team A fumble into the Team B end zone where Team B recovers while grounded.

Answer 14

RULING: Safety, one point for Team A, or Team A may accept the penalty for illegally kicking the ball (Rules 8-3-1 and 8-3-3-b-1) and repeat the down.

Question 15

On a one-point try attempt, B2 blocks A1’s kick. The ball, which does not cross the neutral zone, is picked up by A2, and he advances the ball across Team B’s goal line

Answer 15

RULING: Award Team A two points (Rule 8-3-1).

Question 16

On a one-point try attempt, Team A’s kick is blocked. A2 picks up the ball beyond the neutral zone in the field of play

Answer 16

RULING: The ball is dead where picked up by A2. The try is ended.

Question 17

On a one-point try attempt, Team A’s kick is blocked. The ball, untouched beyond the neutral zone, (a) is recovered by B3 on his one-yard line or (b) hits the ground in Team B’s end zone

Answer 17

RULING: (a) B3 may advance the ball. (b) The ball is dead the try is ended (Rule 8-3-1).

Question 18

On a one-point try attempt, Team A’s kick is blocked. B3 recovers the ball and advances across Team A’s goal line. During B3’s run, B4 clips

Answer 18

RULING: No score, the try is ended, and the penalty is declined by rule (Rule 8-3-4-b).

Question 19

On a try attempt, B1 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass in his end zone. He runs the ball across Team A’s goal line, and (a) there are no fouls during the run, (b) B3 clips during the run or (c) A2 fouls during the run.

Answer 19

RULING: (a) Award Team B two points. (b) No score, the try is ended, and the penalty is declined by rule. (c) Award Team B two points, and the penalty is declined by rule (Rules 8-3-1 and 8-3-4-a and b).

Question 20

On a try attempt, A1 muffs the hand-to-hand snap from the snapper. A2 recovers the ball and carries it into Team B’s end zone.

Answer 20

RULING: Award Team A two points (Rule 2-11-2).

Question 21

On a one-point try attempt, Team A’s kick is blocked and B75 recovers at the two-yard line. B75 then fumbles and the ball rolls into the end zone, where B61 recovers while grounded.

Answer 21

RULING: Safety. Award Team A one point (Rule 8-1-1)

Question 22

During a try attempt, Team A’s legal kick, untouched and in the air, has crossed the neutral zone when a foul occurs.

Answer 22

RULING: If the foul is by Team A and the try is unsuccessful, and Team B does not gain possession,
the try ends. If the foul is by Team A and the try is successful, the penalty is at the previous spot. If the foul is by Team B and the try is successful, score the point unless Team A chooses to accept the penalty and attempt a two-point play. The try is exempt from postscrimmage kick enforcement. Penalties for Team B personal fouls on a successful try may be enforced on the subsequent kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. If the try is unsuccessful, Team A may accept the penalty and the down will be repeated.

Question 23

Both teams foul during a try, and Team B had not gained possession.

Answer 23

RULING: Repeat the down at the previous spot.

Question 24

Lined up for the try at the middle of the B-3, Team A commits a false start and is penalized to the B-8. The kick attempt is blocked, but B77 was in the neutral zone at the snap. The penalty takes the ball to the B-4 for the repeat of the down. Team A requests that the ball be placed at the right hash mark.

Answer 24

RULING: The officials grant the request and the ball is made ready for play at the B-4 on the right hash mark.

Question 25

During a try, both teams foul before Team B intercepts a forward pass. On the return, (a) B23 clips or (b) A18 tackles the ball carrier by twisting his
face mask.

Answer 25

RULING: (a) and (b) The fouls offset and the down is repeated

Question 26

During a try, B79 is in the neutral zone at the snap. B20 intercepts a forward pass and A55 tackles him by pulling the face mask.

Answer 26

RULING: The fouls offset and the down is repeated.

Question 27

B15 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass and is running at midfield when tackled by A19, who grasps and pulls B15’s face mask.

Answer 27

RULING: The penalty is declined by rule and the try is ended.

Question 28

During a try, B1 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass and runs it to midfield. During the run of the interception, B2 clips in Team B’s end zone.

Answer 28

RULING: The penalty is declined by rule

Question 29

During a two-point try attempt, Team A is flagged for an illegal shift. B21 recovers a fumble and on the return, B45 clips and A80 punches an opponent. B21 carries the ball across the goal line.

Answer 29

RULING: The score does not count, the fouls cancel, the down is not repeated and the try is ended. A80’s foul for fighting will be enforced on the succeeding kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. A80 is ejected

Question 30

During a two-point try attempt, Team A is flagged for an illegal shift. B21 recovers a fumble and on the return, A80 punches an opponent. B21 carries the ball across the goal line

Answer 30

RULING: The score counts and the penalty for A80’s flagrant foul is enforced on the succeeding kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. A80 is ejected.

Question 31

Fourth and eight on Team B’s 40-yard line. Team A’s untouched field goal attempt rolls dead on Team B’s seven-yard line.

Answer 31

RULING: Team B’s ball at Team B’s 40-yard line.

Question 32

Fourth and eight on Team B’s 40-yard line. Team A’s attempted field goal touches B1 at the 10-yard line and goes out of bounds at the five-yard line.

Answer 32

RULING: Team B’s ball at Team B’s five-yard line

Question 33

Fourth and eight on Team B’s 40-yard line. Team A’s attempted field goal strikes the ground at the three-yard line and bounces into the end zone, where it is received in the air and then downed by a Team B player.

Answer 33

RULING: Touchback (Rule 8-6-1-b). Team B’s ball at the 20-yard line.

Question 34

Fourth and eight on Team B’s 18-yard line. Team A’s unsuccessful field goal attempt goes out of the end zone.

Answer 34

RULING: Team B’s ball at the 20-yard line

Question 35

Team A’s unsuccessful field goal attempt strikes the ground beyond the neutral zone and bounces back across the neutral zone, where it is recovered by B1 and advanced into the end zone.

Answer 35

RULING: Touchdown (Rule 6-3-5).

Question 36

Fourth and six on Team B’s 18-yard line. Team A’s unsuccessful field goal attempt strikes the ground beyond the neutral zone and bounces back across the neutral zone to Team B’s 28-yard line, where it goes out of bounds or is recovered and downed by either team. The kick is untouched beyond the neutral zone

Answer 36

RULING: Team B’s ball, first and 10 at Team B’s 28-yard line (Rules 6-3-6, 6-3-7, and 8-4-2-b).

Question 37

Team A snaps the ball at the B-15 to attempt a field goal. The kick is blocked, crosses the neutral zone and lands at the B-12. Before any player touches it beyond the neutral zone, the ball rebounds behind the neutral
zone and goes out of bounds at the (a) B-17; (b) B-25

Answer 37

RULING: (a) Team B’s ball, first and 10 at the B-17; (b) Team B’s ball, first and 10 at the B-25. (Rules 6-3-7 and 8-4-2-b)

Question 38

Fourth and goal at the B-10. The field goal attempt is blocked and hits the ground at the B-7. It then rebounds to the B-13 where B44 muffs it. A44
recovers at the B-11

Answer 38

RULING: First and 10 for Team A at the B-11. Team B
has touched a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone. (Rule 6-3-3)

Question 39

A10, after receiving the snap in his own end zone, is downed with the ball resting on his goal line, its forward point being in the field of play

Answer 39

RULING: Safety. A part of the dead ball is on the ball carrier’s goal line.

Question 40

A scrimmage kick fails to cross the neutral zone, or crosses the neutral zone and is first touched by Team B, or is untouched and then rebounds into the end zone, where it is declared dead in Team A’s possession

Answer 40

RULING: Safety (Rule 8-7-2-a).

Question 41

B1 intercepts a legal forward pass (not a try) deep in his end zone and advances but does not get out of the end zone, where he is downed. During the run, B2 clips A1 in the end zone.

Answer 41

RULING: Safety, since the penalty leaves the ball in Team B’s possession in the end zone.

Question 42

B1 intercepts a pass or fumble or catches a scrimmage or free kick between his five-yard line and the goal line, and his momentum carries him into
the end zone. The ball remains in the end zone and is declared dead there in Team B’s possession.

Answer 42

RULING: Team B’s ball at the spot where the pass
or fumble was intercepted, or the kick was caught. The ruling is the same if B1 had recovered a fumble, a backward pass or a kick under similar circumstances

Question 43

B1 intercepts a pass or fumble or catches a scrimmage or free kick between his five-yard line and the goal line, and his momentum carries him into
the end zone. Before the ball is declared dead, B2 clips in the end zone. B1 does not get out of the end zone, and the ball is declared dead.

Answer 43

RULING: Safety by penalty. The basic spot is the end of the run where B1 gained possession between the five-yard line and the goal line, and the foul is behind the basic spot.

Question 44

Team A’s fumble or backward pass strikes the ground. Team B muffs the ball in an attempt to recover, but it crosses Team A’s goal line, where Team A falls on the ball or the ball goes out of bounds from the end zone.

Answer 44

RULING: Safety. The impetus came from the fumble or pass (Rule 8-7-2-a).

Question 45

A36 intends to punt from behind its goal line, but he muffs the ball. After A36 recovers the ball, he runs into the pylon at the intersection of the sideline and goal line.

Answer 45

RULING: Safety, unless the entire ball is beyond the
goal line as the ball carrier contacts the sideline or pylon. The ball is dead at its most forward point when A36 contacts the pylon or sideline (Rules 2-31-3 and 4-2-4-d).

Question 46

B40 intercepts a pass on Team B’s four-yard line. His momentum is taking him into the end zone when he fumbles the ball on the one-yard line and (a) B40, the fumbler, recovers the fumble in the end zone, or (b) B45, a teammate of the fumbler, recovers the fumble in the end zone

Answer 46

RULING: Safety in both (a) and (b).

Question 47

B47 intercepts a pass at the B-3. His momentum carries him into the end zone where he fumbles. The ball rolls into the field of play. A33 recovers at the B-2 but he is hit and fumbles. The ball rolls into the end zone and over the end line.

Answer 47

RULING: Touchback. Team B’s ball, first and 10 at
the B-20. The momentum rule applies only if the ball remains in the end zone and is declared dead there. (Rule 8-6-1)

Question 48

Third and five at the B-20. Defensive back B44 intercepts a forward pass in his end zone. While still in the end zone he fumbles the ball. It rolls forward, goes into the field of play, and in the scramble the ball goes back into the end zone (a) where B44 recovers while grounded; (b) and over the end line.

Answer 48

RULING: (a) and (b) Safety, two points for Team A.
The impetus for the ball going into the end zone the second time is B44’s fumble. The scramble to recover the ball does not add new impetus. The momentum rule does not apply because the ball did not remain in the end zone. (Rule 8-7-2)

Question 49

4/Goal @ B-8. Runner A44 is hit at the B-5 and fumbles, and B54 bats the grounded loose ball at the B-3 back into his own end zone. A88 sees the loose ball and recovers while the ball is still in the end zone

Answer 49

RULING:
Safety, score 2 points for Team A. The bat is a legal bat since B54 is batting the ball backward (Rule 9-4-1-c), but B54 does add a new impetus to the ball and is responsible for the ball’s progress into Team B’s end zone (Rule 8-7-2-b-1). When A88 recovers the ball, the ball is declared dead based on the 4th down fumble rule (Rule 7-2-2-a Exception 2). The ruling is a safety because the ball becomes dead by rule in the end zone, and B54 is responsible for the ball being there (Rule 8-5-1-a). The safety rule and the 4th down fumble rule would seem to be in conflict here, but the spirit and intent of the safety rule is extremely specific to this play and would supersede the 4th down fumble rule which describes generally how recoveries by Team A on 4th down are handled.

Question 50

Team A’s fumble strikes the pylon at the intersection of Team B’s goal line and sideline.

Answer 50

RULING: Touchback. Team B’s ball at the 20-yard line
(Rules 7-2-4-c and 4-2-3-b).

Question 51

B1 intercepts Team A’s legal forward pass in his own end zone, after which A1 snatches the ball from his hand while in Team B’s end zone.

Answer 51

RULING: Touchdown. The ball is not automatically dead when intercepted, but it becomes dead when A1 gets possession. However, if in the judgment of the official there is perceptible time during which the Team B player made no attempt to advance after the interception, declaring a touchback is justified.

Question 52

Third and five at the B-20. Defensive back B44 intercepts a forward pass in his end zone. While still in the end zone he fumbles the ball. It rolls forward, goes into the field of play, and in the scramble A33 kicks the ball into the end zone and over the end line.

Answer 52

RULING: First and 10 for Team B at the B-30. The result of the play is a touchback, and therefore the basic spot for enforcement of the 10-yard penalty for illegally kicking the ball is the B-20. The touchback results because of the new impetus given by A33 kicking the ball. (Rules 2-16-1-a, 8-7-1, 10-2-2-d-2(a))

Question 53

Ball carrier A1, advancing toward Team B’s goal line, fumbles when B1 bats the ball from his hand or tackles him from the rear. In either case, A1 loses possession short of the goal line, and the ball goes into Team B’s end zone, where Team B recovers.

Answer 53

RULING: Touchback. Impetus is charged to the fumble by Team A (Rule 8-6-1-a).

Question 54

Any kick by Team A strikes the ground and a Team B player bats the ball across Team B’s goal line, where Team B recovers it while grounded or it goes out of bounds.

Answer 54

RULING: New impetus is given by Team B. Safety,
two points for Team A. Batting the kick is considered to have destroyed the impetus of the kick and imparted a new impetus. However, merely touching or deflecting the kick, or being struck by it, does not destroy the impetus of the kick (Rule 8-5-1-a).

Question 55

Team A punts. The ball is touched by Team B (no impetus added) and crosses Team B’s goal line. Then Team B falls on the ball or the ball goes out of bounds from the end zone.

Answer 55

RULING: Touchback. The same ruling applies if a kick in flight strikes Team B or merely is deflected by an
attempted catch. Team B may recover and advance, and it is a touchback if a Team B player is downed in the end zone or goes out of bounds behind the goal line (Rule 8-6-1-a).

Question 56

Team A free kicks from its 35-yard line. The ball is rolling on the ground on Team B’s three-yard line when B10 kicks the ball into the end zone and over the end line.

Answer 56

RULING: Safety, due to the new impetus by B10. Team
B foul for illegally kicking the ball. If the penalty (10 yards) is accepted, the down is repeated with the free kick at the A-45. (Rules 9-4-4 and 10-2-2- d-4).