ARTICLE 3. PLAYS INVOLVING TOUCHING OF EITHER THE BALL OR THE GROUND

Item 1. Down by Contact. Whether a player was down by contact while in possession of the ball.

SECTION 39 - TOUCHDOWN

It is a Touchdown if any part of the ball is on, above, or behind the opponent’s goal line while legally in possession of an inbounds player, provided it is not a touchback.

A touchdown is scored when:

1. the ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponents’ goal line (extended) and is in possession of a runner who has advanced from the field of play into the end zone
2. a ball in possession of an airborne runner is on, above, or behind the plane of the goal line, and some part of the ball passed over or inside the pylon
3. a ball in player possession touches the pylon, provided that, after contact by an opponent, no part of the player’s body, except his hands or feet, struck the ground before the ball touched the pylon
4. any player who is legally inbounds catches or recovers a loose ball (3-2-4) that is on, above, or behind the opponent’s goal line

ARTICLE 5. FIRST DOWN

The initial down in each series is the First Down. If it is a charged down, subsequent charged downs are numbered consecutively (i.e., second down, third down, or fourth down) until a new series is declared for either team (7-3).

ARTICLE 3. PLAYS INVOLVING TOUCHING OF EITHER THE BALL OR THE GROUND

Item 1. Down by Contact. Whether a player was down by contact while in possession of the ball.