NCAA Football Rules Quiz | NCAA Football Rules

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How long is the halftime intermission?

Answer: 20 minutes

Rule 3-2-1-b. According to Rule 3-2-1-c, the timing of the halftime intermission starts when all players and coaches have left the field, though the time may start immediately after the second period ends if agreed to by both teams or if dictated by conference policy.

2. What is the penalty for a team that is not ready to play at the beginning of a half?

Answer: 15 yards

Rule 3-4-1-a (penalty). If a team is not ready to play at the beginning of a half, the team receives a 15 yard delay of game penalty. If the game is delayed because halftime activities (band performances, etc.) have exceeded the allotted time for halftime and not because one of the teams is not ready to play, the home team receives a 10 yard delay of game penalty [Rule 3-4-1-b (penalty)].

3. At the end of the fourth quarter, the game is tied at 0-0, and neither team scores in the first two extra periods. In the first series of the third extra period, Team A scores a touchdown and attempts to score a two-point touchdown on the try but fails, thus making the score 6-0. [NOTE: Team A is the team that is designated to put the ball in play, and Team B is the opponent. This convention is used in the NCAA rulebook.] Team B takes possession of the ball, becoming Team A when the ball is declared ready for play to start the second series of the third extra period. Team A then scores a touchdown to tie the score at 6-6, and on the try it makes a field goal attempt that is "good" (i.e., the ball crosses between the uprights and over the crossbar and becomes dead beyond the end line). Has Team A won the game?

Answer: No

Rule 3-1-3-e. To answer this question correctly, you would have to have a good understanding of the NCAA overtime procedures. Extra periods consist of two series with each team putting the ball in play by a snap unless Team B scores other than on the try.

In other words, if Team B intercepts or recovers the ball during the first series of an extra period and returns for a touchdown on any play other than an extra point try by Team A, then the game ends immediately and Team B wins; otherwise, each team has the opportunity to snap the ball and try for a first down or to score.

In the example given in the question, one other provision of the overtime procedures applies: Rule 3-1-3-f states that "beginning with the third extra period, a one-point try (although not illegal) will not score a point." Therefore, Team A's field goal attempt on the try does not score any points, the game is tied at 6-6, and the game continues with the start of the fourth extra period.

4. Player B2 catches a punt in his own end zone. He attempts to advance the ball, but is tackled behind his goal line having never crossed it. Does Team A score a safety?

Answer: No

Rules 8-6-1-b and 8-7. In this case, a touchback is awarded to Team B. A safety can only be scored if a team is responsible for the ball being behind its goal line when it becomes dead. By rule, responsibility for a ball being dead behind Team Bs goal line on a kicking play rests with the kicking team (A) as long as the ball crossed the goal line under the momentum it gained from the kick.

5. What is the penalty for a team that has a player on the field who is wearing illegal equipment or is not wearing required equipment?

Answer: charged a timeout, or 5 yards if no timeouts remain

Rule 3-3-6 (penalty). In addition, a player that plays with cleats more than 1/2-inch in length is disqualified for the remainder of the game and for the team's next game [Rule 9-2-2-d (penalty)].

6. Player A6 catches a forward pass at Team B's 35 yard line, and the closest defender is at Team A's 15 yard line. A6 runs toward Team B's goal line, and it is apparent that he will score a touchdown as no Team B player can catch up with him. Suddenly, a dog runs onto the field in the path of A6 and he trips over it. A6's knee hits the ground, and the officials whistle the play dead with the ball at Team B's 5 yard line. Can the referee award a touchdown to Team A?

Answer: Yes

Rule 9-1-4-d (penalty). By rule, if anything other than persons subject to the rules and those not subject to the rules interferes in any way with a player or the ball in play, it is illegal interference and the referee may replay the down or take any action he deems equitable, including awarding a score.

7. Before the snap, player B7 enters the neutral zone without touching any Team A player or the ball, and no Team A player reacts. B7 then leaves the neutral zone and is not in the neutral zone when the ball is snapped. What should the officials do?

Answer: nothing; no foul has been committed

Rule 7-1-5. As long as the player does not touch an opponent or the ball and no offensive lineman reacts immediately to the action, entering the neutral zone is not illegal. It is only illegal for a defensive player to be in the neutral zone at the snap.

8. During an extra point try, Team A throws a forward pass which is intercepted by B3 at his own 2 yard line as his momentum is carrying him towards his own goal line. After making the catch, B3 fumbles the ball. The ball hits the ground at Team B's 1 yard line and then bounces into the end zone, where it is downed by a Team B player. What is the ruling and how many points (if any) are scored?

Answer: safety, 1 point for Team A

Rules 8-1-1, 8-5-1-a, and 8-7, and Approved Ruling 8-5-1-XI. This is really tricky, but the answer is correct according to the Approved Ruling cited above. Had B3's momentum carried him into the end zone before he fumbled, the ruling would have been a touchback for Team B because Team A would have been responsible for the ball being behind the goal line. However, since the ball was fumbled in front of the goal line, Team B is deemed to be responsible for the ball being behind its goal line when it was downed by a player of its own team. This situation meets the definition of a safety, and a safety scored on an extra point try is worth 1 point.

A very similar situation ocurred in the 2004 University of Texas v. Texas A&M game, though instead of an intercepted forward pass, a Texas A&M player (Team B) recovered a blocked field goal attempt on the try. After recovering the ball, the player fumbled, the ball rolled into the endzone, and was downed by another A&M player, resulting in a 1 point safety for UT.

9. After the snapper touches the ball, player A3 enters the neutral zone. An official throws a penalty marker and whistles the play dead. True or false: the technical name for this foul is "encroachment?"

Answer: True

Rule 2-18-1-a. This could be considered tricky because it is different from NFL rules. When an offensive player enters the neutral zone before the snap, the foul is called "encroachment." This would also include touching an opponent, since the player would have to enter the neutral zone to reach the opposing player.

When a defensive player is in the neutral zone at the snap, makes a move into the neutral zone that causes an offensive player to react immediately, or touches an opponent or the ball, that foul is called "offside".

10. "On fourth down and goal, player A1 fumbles the ball at Team B's 1 yard line. The ball rolls into the end zone, where it is downed by player A6. What should the ruling on the field be?

Answer: Team B's ball at its 1 yard line

Rule 7-2-2-b (exception 2). On any other down, this would be a touchdown for Team A, and even in this situation it would have been a touchdown if player A1 would have recovered his own fumble in the end zone. However, according to the above cited rule, a fumble recovered on fourth down by a player of the fumbling team other than the fumbler himself is dead when recovered and is returned to the spot of the fumble.

Source: Author mm2006lu

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

NCAA Football Rules Trivia Quiz

Football is one of the most popular sports in America, and it is also one of the most complicated. This quiz will pick your brain about the finer details of the rules for college football. Good luck; you'll need it!

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