College: 3-3-2e

Starting and Stopping the Clock

ARTICLE 2.

a. Free Kick. After the ball is free-kicked, the game clock shall be started on an official’s signal when the ball is legally touched in the field of play, or when it crosses the goal line after being touched legally by Team B in its end zone. It is subsequently stopped on an official’s signal when the ball is dead by rule. 

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 VII. Free Kick @ A-35. Team A executes an on-side kick. After the ball has traveled 10 yards, (a) B21 gives a valid fair catch signal and makes a clean catch; (b) A80 is first to touch the ball and makes a clean legal catch or recovery; (c) B21 catches or recovers the ball and immediately goes to the ground; (d) B21 makes a clean recovery with their knees on the RULING: The ball is declared dead and, (a) No time will run off the dock; (b) No time will run off the clock; (c) the clock operator shall start the clock when the ball is legally touched and will stop the clock when the ball is declared dead (Rule 3-3-2a);(d) No time will run off the clock.

b. Scrimmage Down. When a period begins with a scrimmage down, the game clock shall be started when the ball is legally snapped. On all other scrimmage downs, the game clock shall be started when the ball is legally snapped (Rule 3-3-2d) or on a prior signal by the referee (Rule 3-3-2e). The game clock shall not run during a try, during an extension of a period or during an extra period.

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 I. Fourth and Team A's running play, which ends inbounds, gains (a) eight yards or (b) five yards. B1 is offside during the play. RULING: (a) Team A's ball. First and 10. The clock starts on the referee's signal. (b) Team A's ball. Fourth and one. The clock starting on the referee's signal. (Rules 3-3-2e-1 and 3-3-2e-4)

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 II. Fourth and Team A's running play, which ends inbounds, gains (a) six yards or (b) three yards. B1 is offside during the play. RULING: (a) Team A's ball, first and 10. The clock starts on the referee's signal. (b) Team A's ball, first and 10 after accepting the penalty. The clock starting on the referee's signal.

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 III. Third and Team A's pass is intercepted by B1, who is downed inbounds. B2 was offside during the play. RULING: Team A's ball. First and 10. The clock starts on the referee's signal. Although the clock was stopped to award Team B a first down, Team B will not nest snap the ball.

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 IV. Late in the second or fourth quarter, ball carrier A37 goes out of bounds. The game clock is stopped (a) before the Two-Minute Timeout, or (h) at or after the Two-Minute Timeout. RULING: (a) The game clock starts on the referee's signal when the ball is ready for play. (b) The game dock starts on the snap.

c. After a Score. The game clock shall stop on an official’s signal after a touchdown, field goal or safety. It shall be started again as in (a) above unless an accepted penalty erases the score or the down is repeated, in which cases it shall be started when the ball is legally snapped.

d. Starts on the Snap. For each of the following, the game clock is stopped on an official’s signal. If the next play begins with a snap, the game clock will start on the snap:

1. Touchback.

2. A Team A ball carrier, fumble or backward pass is ruled out of bounds anytime after the Two-Minute Timeout in the 2nd or 4th quarters. (Exception: After a Team A forward fumble goes out of bounds, the clock starts on the referee’s signal.)

3. Team B is awarded a first down and will next snap the ball.

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 V. Late in the second or fourth quarter, Team A has second and eight. BE intercepts a legal forward pass and carries the ball out of B79 is in the neutral zone at the snap. The game clock is stopped (a) before the Two-Minute Timeout, or (b) for the Two-Minute Timeout. RULING: Team A accepts the penalty and retains possession of the ball. In (a) the game clock starts on the referee's signal, because Team B will not next snap the ball. In (h) the clock will start on the snap after the Two-Minute Timeout.

4. A forward pass is ruled incomplete.

5. A team is granted a charged timeout.

6. The ball becomes illegal.

7. A period ends.

8. A legal kick down ends. 

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 VI. Fourth and eight at the A-12, late in the fourth The punt is blocked and the ball does not cross the neutral zone. At the A-10, back A22 recovers the ball and throws a forward pass to eligible A88 who is tackled at the B-3. The game clock reads 0:03. RULING: Team A's ball at the B-3, first and goal. The game clock starts on the snap because of the legal kick play. (Rules 3-3-2d-8, 3-3-2e-1, 3-3-2d)

9. A return kick is made.

10. A scrimmage kick is made beyond the neutral zone.

11. Team A commits a delay-of-game foul while in a scrimmage-kick formation.

12. A Two-Minute Timeout is declared.

e. Starts on the Referee’s Signal. For each of the following reasons, the game clock is stopped on an official’s signal. If the next play begins with a snap, the game clock will start on the referee’s signal:

1. Team A is awarded a first down, either through play or by penalty anytime after the Two-Minute Timeout in the 2nd or 4th quarters.

2. A Team A forward fumble goes out of bounds.

3. A Team A ball carrier, fumble or backward pass is ruled out of bounds before the Two-Minute Timeout in the 2nd or 4th quarters

4. To complete a penalty (Exception: Rule 3-4-4c).

5. An injury timeout is allowed for one or more players or an official.

Approved Ruling 3-3-6 I. At the end of a play, with the game clock running, the referee notices that A22 is bleeding. RULING: The referee stops the clock and declares an injury timeout. A22 leaves the field of play or the end zone for treatment by appropriate medical personnel. Unless there is also an injury to a Team B player the play clock is set to 25 seconds and starts on the ready-for-play signal (Rule 3-2-4c-4).

Approved Ruling 3-3-6 II. After being treated for a bleeding or oozing wound, A22 attempts to enter the game before the next RULING: A22 must remain out of the game for at least one play. In any event, he may return only on the approval of his team professional medical personnel.

Approved Ruling 3-3-6 III. B52’s jersey has blood spots on it. RULING: Unless the official determines that the jersey is saturated with blood, B52 may remain in the game. (Note: Saturated is defined as soaked with moisture or drenched. If blood has penetrated through a garment to the skin or can be transferred to another player or game official, the garment is saturated.)

Approved Ruling 3-3-6 IV. An official notices that blood has soaked through B10’s jersey. RULING: B10 must leave the game until medical personnel have determined if the jersey must be replaced.

Approved Ruling 3-3-6 V. B10 tackles A12. An official determines that B10’s jersey is saturated with blood from a cut on A12’s arm. RULING: Both players must leave the game. A12 for treatment of his open wound, B10 for a determination by medical personnel as to whether he has to replace his jersey.

6. An inadvertent whistle is sounded.

7. A possible first-down measurement.

8. Both teams cause a delay in making the ball ready for play.

Approved Ruling 3-3-1 III. Team A fumbles or the ball is loose after a backward pass. Several players dive on the ball, creating a “pile.” RULING: The covering official(s) shall stop the clock and the 40-second clock shall Upon positive knowledge of who recovered, the referee will point in the direction governed by possession and start the game clock (a) immediately if Team A has recovered short of the line to gain (no first down), or (b) on the snap if Team B has recovered.

9. A live ball comes into possession of an official.

10. A head coach requests a conference or challenges an instant-replay decision.

11. The referee grants a media timeout.

12. The referee declares a discretionary timeout.

13. The referee declares a timeout for unfair noise (Rule 9-2-1b-5).

14. An illegal pass is thrown to conserve time (Exception: Rule 3-4-4c).

Approved Ruling 7-3-2 II. After the Two-Minute Timeout in the fourth quarter, A10 is unable to locate an open receiver. To conserve time, he throws a forward pass that is incomplete where there is no eligible Team A player. RULING: Illegal forward pass, intentional grounding. Penalty—Loss of down at the spot of the foul. Because this play occurred after the Two-Minute Timeout, this foul comes under the 10-second runoff rule (Rule 3-4-4). 

Approved Ruling 7-3-2 III. On third down after the Two-Minute Timeout in the second quarter, potential field goal holder A4 muffs the snap and A4 or potential kicker A3 recovers the ball and immediately throws it forward to the ground. RULING: Illegal forward pass for intentional grounding; not a valid attempt to conserve time. Penalty—Loss of down at the spot of the foul. Because this play occurred after the Two-Minute Timeout, this foul comes under the 10-second runoff rule (Rule 3-4-4). 

Approved Ruling 7-3-2 IV. After the Two-Minute Timeout in the second quarter, the ball is snapped over the head of quarterback A12, who is in the shotgun formation. A12 recovers the ball and immediately throws it forward into the ground to conserve time. RULING: Illegal forward pass for intentional grounding; not a valid attempt to conserve time. Penalty—Loss of down at the spot of the foul. Because this play occurred after the Two-Minute Timeout, this foul comes under the 10-second runoff rule (Rule 3-4-4).

Approved Ruling 7-3-2 V. On third down near the end of the half, A12 muffs the snap. A12 or A21 catches the muffed ball and immediately throws it forward into the ground. RULING: Legal play.

Approved Ruling 7-3-2 VI. On third down near the end of the half, A12—positioned seven yards behind the snapper—catches the snap and immediately throws the ball forward to the ground. RULING: Legal play.

Approved Ruling 7-3-2 VII. With seconds remaining in a half and the ball ready for play, Team A quickly lines up and the ball is legally snapped to quarterback A12, who throws the ball forward directly to the ground. Team A's formation was not legal at the When the ball becomes dead, two seconds show on the game clock. RULING: Illegal formation. Penalty—Five yards from the previous spot. The clock starts on the snap.

15. The referee interrupts the 40/25-second count.

16. A player’s helmet comes completely off through play.

17. When either team commits a dead-ball foul.

18. Violation of a rule for mandatory equipment (Rule 1-4-4) or illegal equipment. (Rule 1-4-7)

f. Fair Catch Kick. When the receiving team elects to put the ball in play with a fair catch kick, the game clock starts when the ball is legally kicked.

g. Snap Supersedes Referee’s Signal. Whenever one or more incidents that cause the game clock to be started on the referee’s signal (Rule 3-3-2e) occur in conjunction with any that cause it to be started on the snap (Rules 3-3-2c and 3-3-2d), it shall be started on the snap. [Exception: Rule 3-4-4 (10-second runoff) supersedes this rule, other than when a team is granted a charged timeout.]

Approved Ruling 3-3-2 Third and five at the B-15 late in the fourth quarter, with Team A trailing 10-7. Quarterback Al1 rolls out and is at the B-12 when he throws a forward pass that is When the ball is dead the game clock shows 0:13. Team B accepts the penalty for the illegal forward pass. RULING: Fourth and seven at the B-17. Team B has the option for a 10-second runoff. Assuming that Team B accepts the runoff, the game clock is set at 0:03 and starts on the referee's signal.