Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com

I've been trying to get an answer to this question ever since the OU game.

If team A punts the ball to team B, team B muffs the ball on their own 5 yard line, the ball goes into team B's endzone, and the player from team B recovers and is tackled in team B's enzone.....what is the ruling?

I remember thinking that this should be a safety, but I can't seem to find the answer in the NCAA rulebook I found on the NCAA website.

Just wondering if anybody could answer this for me.

As I understand it, if a player from B forces the ball into the endzone- safety. If a defensive player from A touches it last before it goes into the endzone- touchback.

First thought is that it's definitely a safety, but then I thought again and wonder if there has to be some kind of possession established, or is "possession" established once it is touched by a member of the receiving team.

By definition a muff is not a fumble. Fumble implies possession whereas with a muff possession has not been established. A muffed punt can be recovered in the endzone by the team that muffed the punt on the 5 and it should be ruled a touchback.

Now, if the deep man fumbles in to the endzone (fumbles implying possession) and then has to go and get it and is tackled in the endzone that would be a safety. Also, if a punt is muffed into the endzone then recovered by the kicking team in the endzone that would be a touchdown as it just needs to touch, and it would touch during the muff, a player from the receiving team in order to be a live ball.

Heh. Muff.

TG1996 wrote:Heh. Muff.

I read through this whole thread and had the exact same reaction. I'm very happy to find that I'm not the only one with the intellect of a sixth grader.

Technically, there's no such thing as a 'muff' in the rules. The kick remains a kick until it is possessed. So, if there is no player possession, the force that put the ball in the endzone was the kick. Result -- touchback.

I used to be a high-school official.

Lord_Byron wrote: I used to be a high-school official.

So we can pretty much discount your explanation.

h2oville rocket wrote:

Lord_Byron wrote: I used to be a high-school official.

So we can pretty much discount your explanation.

He's correct, if there is no possession it is a touchback. I'm not an official, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

rocketfootball wrote:

h2oville rocket wrote:

Lord_Byron wrote: I used to be a high-school official.

So we can pretty much discount your explanation.

He's correct, if there is no possession it is a touchback. I'm not an official, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

Well played, rf.

What if the person trying to receive the punt dives for it, touches it but doesn't catch it...would this be known as a "Muff Dive?"

Lord_Byron wrote:I used to be a high-school official.

That would explain the bow ties...