Ouch, talk about excessive/premature celebration...

[woundedknees]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschoo ... 14014.html

"Unfortunately for the Panthers, that (FG) attempt was swatted aside by the Topsail defensive line, sending the visiting Pirates into a rash of celebratory delirium. There was just one problem: They forgot to touch the ball to down it after the block."

"Normally that wouldn't have been necessary, but this time the block landed behind the line of scrimmage, meaning that the thwarted kick was still a live ball."

"That meant that while Pirates players swarmed on to the field to celebrate what they assumed was an unlikely victory, the game was still technically alive. East Duplin's Montrell Stallings swooped in to scoop up the ball and take it to the end zone, creating the rather unique scenario of having two different teams celebrating one victory that each thought it had earned."

"According to the Star-News, the fault for Topsail's failure to down the blocked kick actually fell on the team's coach, Bryan Davis, who told his players to avoid the ball at all cost after any block, just so they didn't open themselves up for a fumble. The idea there was to avoid giving East Duplin any last chance to force a fumble and get in one more shot at a miracle play."

[Duck07]

I thought it was only live if it passed the line of scrimmage AND a defensive player touched it. Like how we kept a drive alive against Fresno St. in 2006.

That is the case if the ball goes past the line, the D would have to touch it to make it live whereas if it doesn't cross the line, it is still live.