[GOPyouth]

I do have 2 questions about the end of this game.

1. When Leinhart fumbled the ball at the goal, the ball flew backwards at least to the 3 or 4 yard line, going out of bounds. Why was the ball re-spotted at the goal?

2. When one of the USC coaches called for a time-out after the fumble, when they did not have any, why was the team not penalized?

[A CA Guy]

#1 The ball was popped out of the hands of Leinart by the helmet of a ND defender a single yard from the line out of bounds which also stopped the clock.
Had the ND defense not popped it, Leinart might have scored.

#2 Any time out is of no issue because the clock was stopped when the helmet of ND popped the ball out off the field. That was the clock stopper and if the USC coaches ask for a time out or dinner didn't mean anything at that point.

[rockthecasbah]

I'm not an NCAA referee and found it difficult to breakdown the final play amidst the chaos in the final seconds. With those qualifiers, here is my college try.
1. The Fumble occurred at the one yard line, and though the ball flew out backwards out of bounds at the 3 or 4 yard line, the play was marked (by the officials) at the point of fumble.

2. I didn't know the USC coaches called for a TO. I thought they argued that the clock should have stopped when the ball went out of bounds.