Football Rules Hypothetical

Team A has backed up inside its own one-yard line. In fact, the back tip of the ball is just six inches from the chalk on the goal line. Team a runs a play from scrimmage and loses 7 inches on the play.

Question: Is this a safety?

Argument 1: If any part of the ball touches any part of the goal line then it's a safety. Thus, safety.

Argument 2: The forward-most point of the ball from the offense's perspective is measuring spot. In the case of a lost-yardage play, the whole ball must behind the plane of the goal line for a safety to be ruled. Thus, in the hypothetical above, no safety.

** Bonus points for citing your work.

 

Argument 2 is correct. Citation: my memory.

 

Depends on who the league wants to win, and if the refs have money on the game.

 

Ding, ding, ding. There's your answer.

 

Realistically speaking, though, the ball would probably never be spotted straddling the goal line. The referee would either give a generous placement in front of the line or would call a safety. I've seen a lot of football and have never seen the ball spotted where it lies across the goal line.

 

I've always wondered why, with the ball on the 1, a false start isn't a safety. The penalty itself happened in the end zone.

 

the plane of the goal line is the front edge of the line... which means going in (for a touchdown) you only have to cross to be in... and coming out (to avoid a safety) you have to be completely out.

That is a safety. I'm 100 percent sure.

 

Professor Google says that for a safety, any part of the ball on the goal line is fine (edit: fine for the defense, in case that was ambiguous). The ball must be completely out for it to be avoided.

 

Honestly, you'd never see that. At least not in any of my games. We're calling a safety.

And the reason a false start isn't a safety is it is enforced from the previous spot, not the point of infraction.

 

Okay - here's a question. Say the ball's nose is peeking out over the goal line as previously describe and in the unlikely chance that Team A goes for it on 4th down and there is an incomplete pass resulting in a change of possesion at the original spot. Touchdown for the team taking possession?