What is the penalty for flag guarding in college flag football?

College flag football penalties

Every college penalty is 5 or 10 yards. Defensive pass interference can be marked from the spot instead. Roughing the passer and hurdling are 10 yards.

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Updated 19 October 2026 · cited to the official rulebooks · Compare every ruleset

How penalties work here

Every penalty in the table is 5 or 10 yards. One exception: pass interference by the defense can be marked from where it happened.
College Appendix A (RB-69, RB-70)

The fouls

Foul names are ours, in plain words. Each one cites the rule to check. The rest of the College Flag Football rules

Flag guarding (shielding your own flags)By the offense

5 yardsLoss of down

Walked off from where the foul happened.

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-2-1

HurdlingBy the offense or defense

10 yards

College Appendix A (RB-70), R9-1-8

Pass interference by the defenseBy the defense

10 yardsAutomatic first down

The table gives 10 yards or the spot of the foul.

College Appendix A (RB-70), R7-4-8c

Pass interference by the offenseBy the offense

10 yards

College Appendix A (RB-70), R7-4-8a-b

Defensive use of hands or illegal contactBy the defense

5 yardsAutomatic first down

College Appendix A (RB-69), R9-4-2

Offensive use of hands or illegal contactBy the offense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R9-4-1

Holding or blocking the ball carrierBy the defense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-2-3

Illegal screen block, or teammates linking arms to blockBy the offense

5 yards

Cut from 10 yards to 5 in the 2025-26 book.

College Appendix A (RB-69), R9-3 College Editorial changes, 9.3 (RB-5)

Charging (running into a set defender)By the offense

10 yards

College Appendix A (RB-70), R9-1-6

Stripping (pulling the ball from the carrier)By the defense

10 yards

College Appendix A (RB-70), R9-1-2

Illegal flag removalBy the defense

10 yards

College Appendix A (RB-70), R9-2-2

Defense offside (crossing the line before the snap)By the defense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-1-5

Offense crossing the line before the snapBy the offense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-1-3b

False start (moving early)By the offense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-1-3c

Lining up or moving wrong before the snap (formation, shift or motion)By the offense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-1-4

Delay of game, including exceeding the 30-second countBy the offense or defense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R3-5-2, 4-1-5

Illegal substitution, or more than 7 playersBy the offense or defense

5 yards

College Appendix A (RB-69), R3-7-2, 3-7-3

Illegal forward passBy the offense

5 yardsLoss of down

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-4-2a-f

Intentional grounding (an illegal throwaway)By the offense

Spot foulLoss of down

Walked off from where the foul happened. Rule 7-4-2 says loss of down at the spot. The penalty summary at the back of the book says 5 yards. We follow the rule.

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-4-2g-i

Throwing a backward pass out of bounds on purposeBy the offense

5 yardsLoss of down

College Appendix A (RB-69), R7-3-1

Roughing the passerBy the defense

10 yardsAutomatic first down

College Appendix A (RB-70), R9-1-7

Striking, tripping, or throwing or pushing the runner to the groundBy the offense or defense

10 yards

A flagrant personal foul is also 10 yards and an ejection (R9-1-1).

College Appendix A (RB-70), R9-1-1, 9-1-3, 9-1-4, 9-1-5

Unsportsmanlike conductBy the offense or defense

10 yards

College Appendix A (RB-70), R9-2-1

Illegal player equipmentBy the offense or defense

10 yards

College Appendix A (RB-70), R1-4-12 College 1-4-12

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