USA Football Rules Editor Bill LeMonnier is a former college referee who currently serves as an ESPN NCAA rules analyst. Click here to ask Bill a question. Make sure to put “Ask the Official” in the subject line.

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If a team commits a personal foul – whether a live ball or dead ball – on a play in which time expires in the first half, can the other team accept the penalty to be enforced on the kickoff in the second half?

This is a complicated question and takes some common sense by the officials on the field.

If time has expired in the half, then the dead ball foul occurs, the half is over and the penalty is assessed to start the second half or overtime.

If there is a touchdown and the defense commits a live ball personal foul, the offense can take the penalty on the try or on the ensuing kickoff of the third quarter. If the penalty occurs at the end of the fourth quarter, the offense must take the penalty on the extra-point try as there are no kickoffs in overtime.

If there is no touchdown involved and a foul occurs during play, there would be an untimed down if the penalty is accepted – by either the offense or defense. It would not carry over to the second half or overtime.

If the penalty is declined, the half is simply over.

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The offense gets a first down with 20 seconds left in the first quarter. After the ball is set and the clock starts, the offense is flagged for a false start. Time then runs out on the quarter before another play is run.

Following high school rules, do you extend the quarter because the last play was an accepted penalty on the offense?

The National Federation of State High School Associations recently changed this rule to say the only time the quarter is extended is if the foul occurs during the play where time expires, and the foul is accepted.

If a false start happens before the clock hits zeros, the penalty is enforced and the clock re-starts. If the clock subsequently runs out, the quarter is over – no matter which quarter or which team drew the penalty. There is no untimed down in this case as in years past.