FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Lesson learned for Wheaton - coach better, play better, run the ball better (1.9 per carry) and don't leave a game in the hands of a call in the final seconds.

[izzy stradlin]

Lesson learned for Wheaton - coach better, play better, run the ball better (1.9 per carry) and don't leave a game in the hands of a call in the final seconds.

Exactly.  If Wheaton wants to be a deep playoff team they can't be in that situation at home with only 1 touchdown of their own on the board.   

IWU would have had another play or two at the goal line with 6 seconds to go due to the penalty regardless. 

[Pat Coleman]

Lesson learned for Wheaton - coach better, play better, run the ball better (1.9 per carry) and don't leave a game in the hands of a call in the final seconds.

Exactly.  If Wheaton wants to be a deep playoff team they can't be in that situation at home with only 1 touchdown of their own on the board.   

IWU would have had another play or two at the goal line with 6 seconds to go due to the penalty regardless.

Not to mention the game is over if Wheaton didn't call timeout on the previous snap.

[ncc_fan]

What a fabulous catch by the IWU receiver. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

So in the NFL that would be an incomplete pass?

[Titan Q]

What exactly is the college football catch rule?

If a receiver is deemed to have secured the ball, falls to the ground, and the ball touches the ground...how does that work?

[kiko]

Thanks ncc_fan.
Very nice video production by WC!

What a fabulous catch by the IWU receiver. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

In a couple of weeks Wheaton is going to have a bunch of fans who will be dressed in green. 

Likely not, unless they care more about a share of the conference title more than boosting their Pool C chances.  Assuming all three of the ranked teams win out, and (shudder) the Wheaties take the Bell, the Titans cannot win the AQ as they finished negative in the H2H point differential.  One or both of North Central/Wheaton will finish positive.

For playoff purposes, the Titans should be hoping for at this point is to push above the non-AQ team among North Central and Wheaton in the final regional rankings.  They have the H2H win over Wheaton, but not over North Central.  It seems to me that they should want Wheaton in the Pool C mix rather than the Cardinals as they are far more likely to finish above the Thunder in the regional pecking order than a team which beat them by two touchdowns.

[Pat Coleman]

What exactly is the college football catch rule?

If a receiver is deemed to have secured the ball, falls to the ground, and the ball touches the ground...how does that work?

Plus, he's crossed the plane of the goal line.

[izzy stradlin]

What exactly is the college football catch rule?

If a receiver is deemed to have secured the ball, falls to the ground, and the ball touches the ground...how does that work?

I think what matters is if the process of the catch (diving or falling catch) takes him to the ground, the ball can't touch the ground and move.  If he secures the ball first and then gets hit or falls and goes to the ground in the end zone it doesn't matter.

[Titan Q]

What exactly is the college football catch rule?

If a receiver is deemed to have secured the ball, falls to the ground, and the ball touches the ground...how does that work?

NCAA rules...

Catch, Interception, Recovery
ARTICLE 3. a. To catch a ball means that a player:
1. Secures control of a live ball in flight before the ball touches the
ground, and
2. Touches the ground in bounds with any part of his body, and then
3. Maintains control of the ball long enough to enable him to perform
an act common to the game, i.e., long enough to pitch or hand the
ball, advance it, avoid or ward off an opponent, etc., and
4. Satisfies paragraphs b, c, and d below.
b. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) he must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If he loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before he regains control, it is not a catch. If he regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch.
c. If the player loses control of the ball while simultaneously touching the ground with any part of his body, or if there is doubt that the acts were simultaneous, it is not a catch. If a player has control of the ball, a slight movement of the ball, even if it touches the ground, will not be considered loss of possession; he must lose control of the ball in order for there to be a loss of possession.
d. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control and continues to maintain control, and the elements above are satisfied, it is a catch.
e. An interception is a catch of an opponent's pass or fumble.
f. A catch by any kneeling or prone inbounds player is a completion or
interception (Rules 7-3-6 and 7).
g. A player recovers a ball if he fulfills the criteria in paragraphs a, b, c, and
d for catching a ball that is still alive after hitting the ground.
h. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed.
----------

Best guess - even w/ replay in Division III, I doubt that gets overturned.  Whether called a catch or no catch by the official, I am guessing it would stand as called.  With a video camera right where that photographer was, I bet that would get replayed 10 times without anyone being able to overrule the original call.

#ZachCaughtIt

[gryfalia]

And, of course, my wife has already started on the rubbing-it-in stage for this year.  Sitting on the IWU side, while much lower to the ground, was quite a bit cooler with the sun at our back.  But the Wheaton side was more fun.

And yeah, Wheaton should not have even let that drive be relevant.  Too many early dropped passes and absolutely pointless running plays.

[AndOne]

In college football I believe the way its looked at is that time is not important. If the ball has been secured between the hand(s) and body, it's a catch at once.
The initial securing of the ball is the important thing. The picture frames that might help answer the question are the ones taken at some point shortly prior to the ones that were submitted. Did the receiver secure to ball between either both or one hand and his body? If so, the pass is immediately a completion.
Obviously, this was the officials ruling. Were they wrong?

[Pat Coleman]

What exactly is the college football catch rule?

If a receiver is deemed to have secured the ball, falls to the ground, and the ball touches the ground...how does that work?

NCAA rules...

Catch, Interception, Recovery
ARTICLE 3. a. To catch a ball means that a player:
1. Secures control of a live ball in flight before the ball touches the
ground, and
2. Touches the ground in bounds with any part of his body, and then
3. Maintains control of the ball long enough to enable him to perform
an act common to the game, i.e., long enough to pitch or hand the
ball, advance it, avoid or ward off an opponent, etc., and
4. Satisfies paragraphs b, c, and d below.
b. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) he must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If he loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before he regains control, it is not a catch. If he regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch.
c. If the player loses control of the ball while simultaneously touching the ground with any part of his body, or if there is doubt that the acts were simultaneous, it is not a catch. If a player has control of the ball, a slight movement of the ball, even if it touches the ground, will not be considered loss of possession; he must lose control of the ball in order for there to be a loss of possession.
d. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control and continues to maintain control, and the elements above are satisfied, it is a catch.
e. An interception is a catch of an opponent's pass or fumble.
f. A catch by any kneeling or prone inbounds player is a completion or
interception (Rules 7-3-6 and 7).
g. A player recovers a ball if he fulfills the criteria in paragraphs a, b, c, and
d for catching a ball that is still alive after hitting the ground.
h. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed.
----------

Best guess - even w/ replay in Division III, I doubt that gets overturned.  Whether called a catch or no catch by the official, I am guessing it would stand as called.  With a video camera right where that photographer was, I bet that would get replayed 10 times without anyone being able to overrule the original call.

#ZachCaughtIt

The question is probably more about 3.a.3 than it is about 4c. But in a D-III game with (how many cameras?), there's little chance to overturn a call on the field.

[Titan Q]

Thanks ncc_fan.
Very nice video production by WC!

What a fabulous catch by the IWU receiver. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

In a couple of weeks Wheaton is going to have a bunch of fans who will be dressed in green. 

Likely not, unless they care more about a share of the conference title more than boosting their Pool C chances.  Assuming all three of the ranked teams win out, and (shudder) the Wheaties take the Bell, the Titans cannot win the AQ as they finished negative in the H2H point differential.  One or both of North Central/Wheaton will finish positive.

For playoff purposes, the Titans should be hoping for at this point is to push above the non-AQ team among North Central and Wheaton in the final regional rankings.  They have the H2H win over Wheaton, but not over North Central.  It seems to me that they should want Wheaton in the Pool C mix rather than the Cardinals as they are far more likely to finish above the Thunder in the regional pecking order than a team which beat them by two touchdowns.

Great points.

I think winning the conference title is such a big deal, I'll be rooting for Wheaton to beat NCC...and then worry about Pool C when that time comes. 

I am no D3 football bracketologist, but it would seem to me that IWU at 9-1 would be a Pool C lock regardless of other CCIW Pool C positioning.

[thunderdog]

Catch, Interception, Recovery
ARTICLE 3. a. To catch a ball means that a player:
1. Secures control of a live ball in flight before the ball touches the
ground, and
2. Touches the ground in bounds with any part of his body, and then
3. Maintains control of the ball long enough to enable him to perform
an act common to the game, i.e., long enough to pitch or hand the
ball, advance it, avoid or ward off an opponent, etc., and
4. Satisfies paragraphs b, c, and d below.
b. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) he must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If he loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before he regains control, it is not a catch. If he regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch.
c. If the player loses control of the ball while simultaneously touching the ground with any part of his body, or if there is doubt that the acts were simultaneous, it is not a catch. If a player has control of the ball, a slight movement of the ball, even if it touches the ground, will not be considered loss of possession; he must lose control of the ball in order for there to be a loss of possession.
d. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control and continues to maintain control, and the elements above are satisfied, it is a catch.
e. An interception is a catch of an opponent's pass or fumble.
f. A catch by any kneeling or prone inbounds player is a completion or
interception (Rules 7-3-6 and 7).
g. A player recovers a ball if he fulfills the criteria in paragraphs a, b, c, and
d for catching a ball that is still alive after hitting the ground.
h. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed
----------

Best guess - even w/ replay in Division III, I doubt that gets overturned.  Whether called a catch or no catch by the official, I am guessing it would stand as called.  With a video camera right where that photographer was, I bet that would get replayed 10 times without anyone being able to overrule the original call.

#ZachCaughtIt

Q,
You highlighted the wrong part. 4b clearly states catch must be maintained thru hitting the ground. With replay, I absolutely think this would have been called incomplete, regardless of what was called on the field.

#ZachCaughtThenLostItThereforeNotACatch

[izzy stradlin]

What exactly is the college football catch rule?

If a receiver is deemed to have secured the ball, falls to the ground, and the ball touches the ground...how does that work?

NCAA rules...

Catch, Interception, Recovery
ARTICLE 3. a. To catch a ball means that a player:
1. Secures control of a live ball in flight before the ball touches the
ground, and
2. Touches the ground in bounds with any part of his body, and then
3. Maintains control of the ball long enough to enable him to perform
an act common to the game, i.e., long enough to pitch or hand the
ball, advance it, avoid or ward off an opponent, etc., and
4. Satisfies paragraphs b, c, and d below.
b. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) he must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If he loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before he regains control, it is not a catch. If he regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch.
c. If the player loses control of the ball while simultaneously touching the ground with any part of his body, or if there is doubt that the acts were simultaneous, it is not a catch. If a player has control of the ball, a slight movement of the ball, even if it touches the ground, will not be considered loss of possession; he must lose control of the ball in order for there to be a loss of possession.
d. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control and continues to maintain control, and the elements above are satisfied, it is a catch.
e. An interception is a catch of an opponent's pass or fumble.
f. A catch by any kneeling or prone inbounds player is a completion or
interception (Rules 7-3-6 and 7).
g. A player recovers a ball if he fulfills the criteria in paragraphs a, b, c, and
d for catching a ball that is still alive after hitting the ground.
h. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed.
----------

Best guess - even w/ replay in Division III, I doubt that gets overturned.  Whether called a catch or no catch by the official, I am guessing it would stand as called.  With a video camera right where that photographer was, I bet that would get replayed 10 times without anyone being able to overrule the original call.

#ZachCaughtIt

The question is probably more about 3.a.3 than it is about 4c. But in a D-III game with (how many cameras?), there's little chance to overturn a call on the field.

I actually think he highlighted the correct sections.  He did not have the ball long enough to make a football move.  The rules seem to allow for slight movement of the ball.  Whatever your definition of slight is.