What is an invalid fair catch? Iowa sees go-ahead touchdown overturned in loss to Minnesota

David Suggs

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What is an invalid fair catch? Iowa sees go-ahead touchdown overturned in loss to Minnesota image

No. 24 Iowa suffered the cruelest of fates on Saturday, falling 12-10 to Minnesota in a game that left many an onlooker scratching their head.

The Hawkeyes (6-2) had been second-best for much of the day, struggling to manage against a defense that ranked as one of the Big Ten's worst. Kirk Ferentz's squad netted just two yards of total offense in the second half, falling by the wayside as the Gophers (4-3) connected on a quartet of field goals to take the lead.

Still, with 1:34 left on the clock and Minnesota punting the ball inside its own 20, Iowa still had a chance. Cooper DeJean fielded a bouncing punt along the sideline, avoided a few tackles and sprinted across the field into the end zone.

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Kinnick Stadium exploded into raptures, streaks of ebullient yellow opening up all across the concourses. It looked, for a moment, as if the Hawkeyes had pulled off the remarkable.

Until they hadn't.

Officials ruled that DeJean's score didn't count. The reason why? An invalid fair catch signal.

DeJean gestured towards the ball, pointing in its direction with his right hand. That's perfectly legal, per the NCAA rulebook. His left hand caused the issue, however; DeJean appeared to momentarily wave his left hand away while attempting to reel in the bouncing ball.

That's a no-no, per former referee and current NBC analyst Reggie Smith.

“He points at the ball which is allowed," Smith said on the game broadcast. “However, with his left hand, he begins giving the get-away signal. This constitutes an invalid fair catch signal."

According to the NCAA rulebook, an invalid fair catch signal refers to any waving motion made by a member of the receiving team that does not meet the criteria for a valid fair catch. A fair catch is deemed valid if and only if a player waves his arm over his head.

DeJean did not do such a thing. Still, the result was the same; because he was deemed to have attempted the get-away signal, the play was ruled dead once he touched the ball. Everything that happened after he fielded the punt drifted into the ether.

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Article III, Subsection V of the NCAA rulebook lays out the situation as it happened:

With a timeout and needing just a field goal to win, the Hawkeyes still had a chance. QB Deacon Hill handed the ball back to Minnesota just three plays later, however, tossing a game-sealing interception to break Iowans' hearts.

DeJean spoke to reporters postgame and reiterated that he had no desire to make signal for a fair catch on the play. Rather, he was attempting to pull off the gesture to maintain his balance.

"I was just trying to run and pick up the ball, I guess," DeJean said. "I've never called for a fair catch with my left hand ever. I was kinda just keeping my balance, I guess, trying to run, run to the ball, but, you know, it happens. Frustrating but you gotta move on."

DeJean and the Hawkeyes may have moved on. It seems some school officials were worried that wasn't to be the case for others in the stadium, however. 

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.