Rule question: End Zone Pylon versus First Down Line to Gain

[KnightWhoSaysNit]

During the Peach Bowl Georgia was granted a first down on a critical 4th down conversion late in the game. It was originally ruled short, then overturned to become a first down based on the "Line to Gain." After that review, contrary to what I had thought, the rule must be that the Line to Gain extends beyond the field of play. Forward progress is the ball position at the time the runner makes contact with anything out of bounds. It isn't the point where the ball crossed the out of bounds line before the runner makes contact out of bounds.

At the end zone this is different. Based on a ruling that just occurred during the Cotton Bowl, the ball apparently must cross over or inside of the pylon before the runner touches something out of bounds. In other words, the end zone line is not the same as the "Line to Gain."

Do I have this correct? If so it seems inconsistent and illogical. Where would the ball be spotted if the runner makes the end zone but the ball went to the outside of the pylon?

 

[Erial_Lion]

The ball is spotted at it's most forward point when it crosses the sideline. It's no different between the field of play and the end zone.

 

[KnightWhoSaysNit]

The ball is spotted at it's most forward point when it crosses the sideline. It's no different between the field of play and the end zone.

Then OSU got jobbed. If there was a pylon at the Line to Gain, the Georgia ball carrier did not cross that point and neither did the ball. The ball crossed the out of bounds line before that imaginary pylon and the ball carrier, while in the air, extended the ball in the air space that is out of bounds.

OSU has a legitimate beef. Georgia would have lost. A bad overturn for the ages. No idea how they could have overruled the original call on the field.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Then OSU got jobbed. If there was a pylon at the Line to Gain, the Georgia ball carrier did not cross that point and neither did the ball. The ball crossed the out of bounds line before that imaginary pylon and the ball carrier, while in the air, extended the ball in the air space that is out of bounds.

OSU has a legitimate beef. Georgia would have lost. A bad overturn for the ages. No idea how they could have overruled the original call on the field.

I personally thought it was too close to overturn…though they can piece together camera angles to see pretty much exactly where it was when he went out.