NCAA Flag Rule 5
Series of Downs, Line to Gain
SECTION 1. A SERIES: STARTED, BROKEN, RENEWED
ARTICLE 1.
a. A series of up to four consecutive scrimmage downs shall be awarded to the team that is next to put the ball in play by a snap after a touchback, fair catch, or change in team possession, or to the offensive team to start the first and third period and overtime.
b. A new series shall be awarded to Team A if it is in legal possession of the ball on or beyond its zone line to gain when the ball is declared dead.
c. A new series shall be awarded to Team B if, after fourth down, Team A has failed to earn a first down.
d. A new series shall be awarded to Team B if Team A’s punt goes out-of-bounds or comes to rest and no player attempts to secure it.
e. A new series shall be awarded to the team in legal possession when the ball is declared dead:
1. If a change of possession occurs during the down.
2. If a punt crosses the neutral zone.
3. If an accepted penalty awards the ball to the offended team.
4. If an accepted penalty mandates a first down.
f. A new series shall be awarded to Team B whenever Team B, after a punt, elects to take the
ball at a spot of illegal touching.
ARTICLE 2.
a. The line to gain in any series shall be the zone in advance of the ball, unless distance has been lost due to penalty or failure to gain. In such case, the original zone in advance of the ball at the beginning of the series of downs is the zone line to gain.
b. The line to gain is established when the ball is made ready for play before the first down of the new series.
ARTICLE 3.
a. The most forward point of the ball when declared dead between the end lines shall be the determining point for if the zone line to gain has been reached.
b. There are no measurements. The ball has either reached the line to gain or has failed to reach the line to gain.
Continuity of Downs Broken
ARTICLE 4. The continuity of a series of downs is broken when:
a. Team possession of the ball changes during a down.
b. A punt crosses the neutral zone, goes out-of-bounds, or comes to rest and no player attempts to secure it.
c. At the end of a down, Team A has earned a first down.
d. After fourth down, Team A has failed to earn a first down.
e. An accepted penalty mandates a first down.
f. There is a score.
g. A touchback is awarded to either team.
h. The second or fourth period ends.
SECTION 2. DOWN AND POSSESSION AFTER A PENALTY
Penalty Resulting in a New Series
ARTICLE 1. Once a penalty is applied, should the yardage place the ball beyond the original zone line to gain, or awards an automatic first down by rule, the next down will be a first down for the possessing team.
Foul Before Change of Team Possession
ARTICLE 2.
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 zone line to gain.
b. If the penalty involves loss of a down, the down shall count as one of the four in the series.
Foul After Change of Team Possession
ARTICLE 3. If a penalty is accepted for a foul that occurs during a down after a change of team possession, the ball belongs to the team in possession when the foul occurred. The down and distance established by any such penalty shall be first down with a new zone line to gain.
ARTICLE 4. If a penalty is declined, the number of the next down shall be whatever it would have been if the foul had not occurred.
ARTICLE 5.
a. After a distance penalty incurred between downs, the number of the next down shall be the same as that established before the foul occurred, unless enforcement for a foul by Team B leaves the ball on or beyond the zone line to gain or a penalty mandates a first down.
b. The penalty for any dead-ball foul that occurs after the ball is ready for play shall be completed after the zone line to gain is established.
ARTICLE 6. a. The penalty for any dead-ball foul (including live-ball fouls treated as dead-ball fouls) that occurs after a series end and before the ball is ready for play shall be completed before the line to gain is established.
b. The penalty for any dead-ball foul that occurs after the ball is ready for play shall be completed after the line to gain is established.
ARTICLE 7. If offsetting fouls occur during a down, that down shall be repeated.
ARTICLE 8. No rule decisions may be changed after the ball is next legally snapped or the second of fourth periods have ended. (Exception: The number of a down may be corrected any time within that series of downs or before the ball is legally next put in play after that series).
