Here are the relevant sections from definition of a catch:
- To catch a ball means that a player:
- Secures control of a live ball in flight with his hands or arms before the ball touches the ground, and
- Touches the ground in bounds with any part of his body, and then
- 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
- Satisfies paragraphs b, c and d below.
- 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.
So, cowtipper, I don't see that your scenario is specifically addressed. Also, it is not what happened in last Friday's game. But I would assume it is NOT a catch. Something like this happened in the New England/Baltimore game yesterday. Ravens receiver caught a touchdown pass, after a couple steps the defender poked the ball loose and they ruled it incomplete. And he was not even going to the ground.
But in your scenario I would think #3 above comes into play, the receiver has to perform an act common to the game, including "ward off a defender." In your scenario the receiver does not ward off the defender but actually allows the defender to strip the ball. Also, the final section (h) perhaps comes into play, when in question, it is NOT a catch.
I do not claim to be some rules expert, I just know from watching the game that what happened was not a catch according to the rules and seeing the same thing in other games. Shoot, a few years ago when the newer "catch" rule was in play, an Iowa State receiver (Jarvis West maybe) caught a ball, went down to the ground with the ball, then had a K State defender reach in and pull the ball away and the refs ruled it an interception, upheld even after review.
From what I have seen in college football, when you catch a ball, you have to keep possession of it until your momentum stops. Once you stop rolling or sliding and you come to a stop with the ball still in your hands, then you have caught it. We all know refs are not consistent, but if you go to the ground during a catch, you had better keep hold of the ball up until you stop your momentum, or it is most likely going to be called a drop.
