What made the Penn State snap and score play with Tyler Warren legal? Gene Steratore explains: Newsstand
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren had one of the plays of the college football weekend against USC last Saturday in Los Angeles. He snapped the ball to start the play and then ended it by catching Drew Allar’s pass for a touchdown. How was it a legal play? An explanation from a former NFL referee headlines today’s newsstand.
Penn State tweets of the day
CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore is covering a question many fans have asked about Warren’s highlight reel touchdown that was No. 5 on ESPN SportsCenter’s top 10 plays from Saturday: How was the play legal? No flags flew and the USC bench did not protest the play, which started the Nittany Lions’ 33-30 comeback. What made it OK under the rules?
“I think this was the most creative play of the game,” Steratore said in a video on CBS Sports’ Twitter page. “Penn State shifted Tyler Warren. He became the center, snapped the ball to Drew Allar, went down field, and caught a touchdown pass. Now, there’s a few questions I’m sure most of you are asking. Can anybody snap the ball? The answer is yes. Anyone can snap the football. And the other big question is, how can the center be an eligible receiver on a forward pass play?
“Well, after the shift, Tyler Warren was the center. But, he was also the eligible receiver that was on the line of scrimmage. The other two receivers to the left of him [who were in front of Allar] were in the offensive backfield. That made all three receivers [with Warren being the third “receiver” despite snapping] eligible by rule. An amazing touchdown. A great play.”
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Headlines of the day
Potential Penn State bye week tweaks: The areas of improvement for James Franklin’s 6-0 Lions: Flounders, PennLive
Penn State adds three-star defensive back Josh Johnson to Class of 2025: Snyder, BWI
At Penn State, Julian Fleming Sought to Prove Himself. He Got the Chance at USC: Wogenrich, SI
California recruits impressed with Penn State’s win at USC: Fitz, BWI
Penn State TE Tyler Warren Named AP National Player of the Week: Engle, Statecollege.com
Good news/Bad news: Penn State set for critical bye week tests: Bauer, BWI
On3 Heisman Trophy Poll: Top 10 player rankings after Week 7: Goldkamp, On3
Penn State-Wisconsin kick time and TV channel details: When do the Lions and Badgers meet?: Pickel, BWI
Quote of the day
“It was a super exciting win. So much fun watching that offense. Lots of ups and downs. But they did whatever it takes and came out with a great win. Drew [Allar] had a solid game. Besides those little mistakes, he led the team to the win and that’s the most important thing. He is such a role model for me and I can really see myself being just like him.
“I thought it was awesome seeing so many Penn State fans there at the game.”
–PSU 2026 QB commit Troy Huhn on seeing the Lions beat USC last weekend.
