College Football Officiating 101 Quiz

Answer: No

Unlike the NFL, which had the force-out rule for many years, there is no force-out rule in college football. If a defender pushes a receiver out of bounds before he gets at least one foot down inbounds, it is ruled as an incomplete pass.

Answer: Two points for Wake Forest

In college football, the defensive team is awarded two points if it returns a fumble or interception on a two-point conversion attempt. It is, in effect, like scoring a safety. In pro football, the defensive team cannot score on a failed conversion attempt.

Answer: At the Wisconsin 31-yard line.

In college football, a missed field goal is returned to the spot of the snap--in this case, Wisconsin's 31-yard line.

Answer: Loss of down at the spot of the foul

In 1999, the NCAA changed the penalty from intentional grounding from five yards and loss of down to loss of down only. In this case, the result of the grounding would be 4th and 14 at Purdue's 34-yard line.

Answer: False

Regarding the football used in college games, the NCAA requires the ball to have "two 1" white stripes that are 3-3.25" from the end of the ball and located only on the two panels adjacent to the laces." The rules also require that there be 8 equally spaced laces on the ball.

Answer: A two-point conversion attempt is mandatory after each touchdown.

The mandatory two-point rule doesn't come into play until each team has had the ball twice, which constitutes two overtime sessions. During the third overtime, and each overtime beyond that, the two-point conversion becomes mandatory after a touchdown.

Answer: False

The receiver only has to get one foot down while retaining possession of the football to make a legal catch. This is also true in Canadian pro football.

Answer: True

During the last two minutes of a half, the clock stops after the offensive team makes a first down. Once the ball is spotted for play, the clock is started. But there is no bona fide two-minute warning.

Rule 3-3-8b: "Unless a visual game clock is the official timepiece, the referee also shall inform each field captain and head coach when approximately two minutes of playing time remain in each half the referee may order the clock stopped for that purpose". The rules don't generally say there is no Two-Minute-Warning, only if there is a visual Game Clock, which is not mandatory.

Answer: 35-yard line

The NCAA has moved the line for kickoffs a couple different times in recent years. Kickoffs now originate from the 35-yard line unless relocated by a penalty.

In 2007, kickoffs were moved to the 30-yard line, from the 35-yard line, to encourage returns and cut down on touchbacks. Some years before that, kickoffs were moved to the 35-yard line from the 40-yard line.

From 2012 it was moved back to the 35-yard line.

Answer: 40 seconds

In 2008, the NCAA changed it from 25 to 40 seconds.