In American football, a touchback is a ruling that is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to travel over the goal line, but did not have possession of the ball when it became dead. Since the 2018 season, touchbacks have also been awarded in college football on kickoffs that end in a fair catch by the receiving team between its own 25-yard line and goal line. In the 2023 season, the NFL adopted the same rules as college football in regard to awarding touchbacks on kickoffs that end in a fair catch. In 2024, the NFL moved the placement of the ball after a touchback on a kickoff to the receiving team's 30-yard line; this was part of a radical change to the league's kickoff procedure. Such impetus may be imparted by a kick, pass, fumble, or in certain instances by batting the ball. A touchback is not a play, but a result of events that may occur during a play. A touchback is the opposite of a safety with regard to impetus since a safety is scored when the ball becomes dead in a team's end zone after that team — the team whose end zone it is — caused the ball to cross the goal line.
Matthew Phillip Prater is an American professional football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for longest field goal from 2013 until 2021 and holds the NFL record for most 50+ yard field goals in a career, 81 as of 2024.
The 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks on January 3, 2008, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spread bettors favored Virginia Tech by three points, but in a game dominated by defensive and special teams play, Kansas defeated Virginia Tech 24–21. The game was part of the 2007–08 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. This 74th edition of the Orange Bowl was televised in the United States on Fox and was watched by more than eight million viewers.
Ricky William Schmitt is a former gridiron football punter and place kicker. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Shepherd University.
John Deraney is an American former professional football punter and placekicker. He played for the NC State Wolfpack football program from 2003 to 2006, handling punts, kickoffs, field goals, and extra points. He also set an all-time NC State record by converting 76 consecutive extra points and also set the school's single-season record with 2,968 punting yards in 2006.
The 2000 Sugar Bowl was the designated Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game for the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season and was played on January 4, 2000, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The Florida State Seminoles, representing the Atlantic Coast Conference, defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies, representing the Big East Conference, by a score of 46–29. With the win, Florida State clinched the 1999 BCS national championship, the team's second national championship in its history.
The 1993 Independence Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Indiana Hoosiers at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana on December 31, 1993. The 18th edition of the Independence Bowl was the final contest of the 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 45–20 victory for Virginia Tech. The game was the first bowl victory for Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, and began a streak of 27 consecutive bowl appearances for Virginia Tech.
The 2006 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Virginia Tech Hokies at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, on January 2, 2006. The game was the final contest of the 2005 football season for each team and resulted in a 35–24 Virginia Tech victory. Louisville represented the Big East Conference, and Virginia Tech represented the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in the competition.
The 2001 Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Clemson Tigers and the Virginia Tech Hokies at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on January 1, 2001. The game was the final contest of the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 41–20 victory for Virginia Tech.
The 1986 Peach Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the North Carolina State Wolfpack from on December 31, 1986. The game was the final contest of the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 25–24 victory for Virginia Tech, the first bowl victory in school history.
David Jonathan Buehler is an American former professional football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He was selected by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California.
The 2012 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill O'Brien in his first season and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, US. It was a member of the Big Ten Conference and played in the Leaders Division. Penn State was ineligible to play in a bowl game for the 2012 season due to sanctions imposed in wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal.
Daniel Kinsman Coale is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Virginia Tech.
Samuel James Ficken is an American professional football placekicker. He played college football at Penn State. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015, and has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions.
Jeffrey Ryan Locke is a former American football punter. He played college football at UCLA, and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft.
Anthony Fera is a former American football placekicker and punter.
Quinn Nordin is an American professional football placekicker. He played college football at Michigan and signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
Nicholas Michael Scott is an American professional football safety for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL draft.
The 2021 Illinois vs. Penn State football game was a regular-season college football game played on October 23, 2021, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. The Big Ten Conference matchup featured the Illinois Fighting Illini and the seventh-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, and took place during week eight of the 2021 FBS football season. The game was scheduled as a 12:00 p.m. EDT kickoff, and broadcast by ABC. Illinois defeated Penn State, 20–18, to win the contest after a record nine overtimes.
John Parker Romo is an American professional football placekicker. He played college football at Central Arkansas, Tulsa, and Virginia Tech. He has also played for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL, where he was selected to the All-XFL team following the 2023 XFL season. He is also the all time leader of field goals in the XFL.
