Don't These Guys Have Lawyers?

Notre Dame scored in a play where it appeared that the ball made it as far as the entire width of the Ohio goal line, but the nose of the ball never made it into the end zone. So, a debate ensued as to whether the ball had to actually get into the end zone or if we were blind.

You be the judge of the NCAA Rules.

Rule 1-2 "...each team shall be allowed opportunities to advance the ball across the other team's goal line..."

Rule 2-11-1: "Each goal line is a vertical plane separating an end zone from the field of play when the ball is touched or in player possession."

Rule 2-31-2: "The field of play is the area within the boundary lines other than the end zones."

Rule 8-2-1-a (Touchdown) "A runner advancing from the field of play is legally in possession of a live ball when it penetrates the opponent's goal line (plane)."

So, does it have to actually cross the back edge of the goal line and get into the end zone? It never really says that. It says things like "across" and "penetrate", but as we get used to life in a micro world, a four inch white line has lots of space to penetrate, even if the ball never noses past the back of the goal line.

The Interpretations of the Rules, at Approved Ruling 8-1-1-I: The runner is thrown or falls to the ground on his opponent's one-yard line, but his momentum causes him to slide across the goal line. RULING: Not a touchdown unless the ball's forward point was on, above, or across the goal line when any part of the runner's body except his hand or foot struck the ground."

I guess the ball doesn't have to go all the way through the line and get into any part of the end zone. I think. Well, it's still college, boys. The rules reflect that they have soooo much to learn in order to truly score.

(How much time did I put into this little novelty?)