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strange play today in the UNI @ Indiana State game today.
Wasn't able to watch the game (only listen on the radio), but here is how it went as far I could gather:

4th down, Indiana State goes to punt
UNI partially blocks the punt, and I think an ISU guy caught it in the air around the line of scrimmage

He then runs down the field and is eventually tackled.
Officials proclaim it ISU ball at the spot where he was tackled, 1st and 10.

I wasn't aware that a blocked punt could be advanced by the punting team. And I can't seem to find any clear reference to it in the NCAA rulebook (but I'm not a trained official and can't always translate the jargon).

Seems to make it a really risky proposition for a team to block a punt then.

This happened I think last year to SIU or maybe this year. I always thought it couldn't be advanced by the punting team. I think we were the benefactors of it. Don't remember what game it happened but it was definitely similar.

I'm thinking that the punting team can recover, but that, by blocking the punt, it created a muff situation that the punting team cannot advance, but maybe they can. I don't know for sure.

siuham wrote:This happened I think last year to SIU or maybe this year. I always thought it couldn't be advanced by the punting team. I think we were the benefactors of it. Don't remember what game it happened but it was definitely similar.

I suppose it is because it never got past the line of scrimmage (or it was close enough that they called it that way).

or maybe it was because they caught it before it hit the ground, I dunno.

JayJ79 wrote:

siuham wrote:This happened I think last year to SIU or maybe this year. I always thought it couldn't be advanced by the punting team. I think we were the benefactors of it. Don't remember what game it happened but it was definitely similar.

I suppose it is because it never got past the line of scrimmage (or it was close enough that they called it that way).

or maybe it was because they caught it before it hit the ground, I dunno.

I think it has to do with the line of scrimmage. If it doesn't go past it's still free.

siuham wrote:

JayJ79 wrote:
I suppose it is because it never got past the line of scrimmage (or it was close enough that they called it that way).

or maybe it was because they caught it before it hit the ground, I dunno.

I think it has to do with the line of scrimmage. If it doesn't go past it's still free.

It has to be, since tipped punts that cross the LOS are not live balls, they're treated as usual.

I'd imagine the ball was judged to have not crossed the line, and was a "fumble" of sorts rather than a punt that was deflected a bit.

siuham wrote:

JayJ79 wrote:
I suppose it is because it never got past the line of scrimmage (or it was close enough that they called it that way).

or maybe it was because they caught it before it hit the ground, I dunno.

I think it has to do with the line of scrimmage. If it doesn't go past it's still free.

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!

according to Farley in the postgame, it is all because it didn't cross the line.

or at least it is because the officials ruled that it didn't cross the line (he says it was about 5 yards past).
I wonder if that would have been a reviewable play if it had happened in a league with video review (and/or in the later playoff rounds, where video review is in place)


either way, UNI won the game, so the point is moot. I was just curious on the rules regarding that situation.