American Football NCAA Approved Ruling 1-4-7

I. A33 is wearing a bandanna under his helmet, with part of the bandanna protruding from underneath the back of the helmet. RULING: Illegal equipment. Bandannas may be worn under the helmet as long as no part of the bandanna is visible when the helmet is in place. The visible bandanna is considered a uniform attachment (1-4-7-h). A33 must leave the game for at least one down and may not returned until the bandanna is removed or completely hidden under the helmet. Team A may request a team timeout, if one is available, to prevent A33 from missing a down, but the bandanna must be hidden or removed.

II. At the end of a down, B55’s shoulder pad has become exposed and is not covered by the jersey. RULING: Illegal equipment. Because the pad became exposed through play, B55 is not required to leave the game. The pad must be covered by the jersey before the ball is next put into play.

III. Both teams come onto the field before the game wearing colored jerseys. The visiting team has not obtained written agreement from the home team to wear other than white jerseys, or if such agreement has been obtained the home team’s conference has not certified that the jerseys are of contrasting colors. RULING: Foul by the visiting team for violation of the jersey-color rule. After the ball is marked ready for play for the opening kickoff, the referee charges the visiting team with a timeout for illegal jerseys. In addition, there will be a 15-yard penalty at the succeeding spot following the kickoff starting each half. If the kickoff is returned for a touchdown, the penalty is assessed either on the try or at the succeeding kickoff. For each quarter that they continue to wear the jerseys, the team is charged with a timeout after the ball is declared ready for play and before the ball is put in play for the first play of that quarter. If a team has no timeouts remaining, a delay of game penalty will be enforced. (1-4-5-b)

IV. As Team A is about to break its huddle, the Referee notices that A35 is wearing an overbuilt facemask. RULING: A35 must leave the game for one down to get a legal facemask. Team A may use an available charged timeout in order that A35 not miss a down, but he may not play with the illegal facemask.

V. Each member of the offensive line is wearing a towel, all of which are white, 4″ by 12″, with a small team logo. The snapper’s towel also has a large skull-and-cross-bones symbol. RULING: It is legal for any player to wear a towel. The towels are all legal except the snapper’s. He must leave the game for at least one down and may not return until the towel is removed or replaced with one that is legal. Team A may keep him in the game by using a charged timeout, but he may not wear the illegal towel.
(Rules 1-4-6-a and 1-4-8)

VI. A player writes or paints advertisements, messaging and/or inscriptions on their shoes and plans to wear them during the game. RULING: Not allowed by rule. Appendix E, A-11 allows for uniforms and all other items of apparel to bear only a single manufacturer’s or distributor’s normal label or trademark not to exceed 2.25 square inches in area. To allow the student athlete’s voice to be heard, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) has expanded the size of the insignia patch to 16 square inches to allow players to celebrate or memorialize persons, events or social justice causes (Rule 1-4-6-d). Additionally, the student athlete as authorized by the institution or conference, is allowed other names/words intended to celebrate or memorialize persons, events, or other causes on the back of the jersey/ uniform where the player’s name is traditionally located. The names/words may vary by team member.

VII. A player enters the field during pre-game warmups after the officials’ jurisdiction begins wearing a tee shirt with (a) an advertisement with the shirt including a number that is readily visible; (b) a social justice message with the shirt including a number that is readily visible; (c) no number readily visible. RULING: The tee shirt in (a) is not allowed by rule as advertisements are not allowed on the uniform or any items of apparel (Exception – Post-season game as outlined in Rule 1-4-5); (b) legal; (c) not allowed as per Rule 3-1-1-c. There is no yardage penalty for (a) and (c) but the player must leave the playing enclosure. Officials are encouraged to seek out the Head Coach, Equipment Manager or Game Management to take the appropriate action.