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College Football/ILLEGAL TOUCHING

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Expert: - 9/17/2010


Question
Watching Cincinnati @ NC State on ESPN.  Just before half time, on a running play, NC State fumbles, another NC State player recovers the fumble, but it is clear that this player had stepped out of bounds before recovering the fumble.  This player was not forced out and no other player touched the ball before he did.  There was no penalty called on the play.  Should there have been an illegal touching penalty called the same as it would be in the NFL?  

Answer
Everrett
Under NCAA rules the illegal touching refers to kicks and forward pass plays.  In the play you describe in the Cincinnati @ NC State game, that was a fumble not a kick or forward pass, therefore there is no illegal touching.  The rules are different between the NCAA and NFL. The play was ruled correctly - No foul, no illegal touching.

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