a. If a penalty is accepted for a foul that occurs between the goal lines before a change of team possession during a down, the ball belongs to Team A. The down shall be repeated unless the penalty also involves loss of a down, mandates a first down, or leaves the ball on or beyond the line to gain (Exceptions:Rules 8-3-3b-1, 10-2-3, 10-2-4, and 10-2-5).
Approved Ruling 10-2-3 I. Either team fouls during a scrimmage kick after the ball has been touched beyond the neutral zone. The foul is beyond the neutral zone, and Team B will next put the ball in play. RULING: For fouls by Team B, penalty enforcement will be by the Three-and-One Principle with the post-scrimmage kick spot as the basic spot (Rule 2-25-11). Team B’s ball, first and 10. For fouls by Team A, penalty enforcement is either from the previous spot or from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B (Rule 6-3-13).
b. If the penalty involves loss of a down, the down shall count as one of the four in that series.
Approved Ruling 5-2-3 I. Team A’s fourth-down legal forward pass strikes the ground after it touches an originally ineligible receiver who is illegally more than three yards beyond the neutral zone. RULING: Foul, ineligible receiver downfield. Penalty—Five yards from the previous spot. Team B’s ball, first and 10, if the penalty is declined (Rule 7-3-10).
