A holding call was made during Akron's next to last possession and the QB was in the endzone. OU declined (which I understand) but why wasn't a safety automatically called? The rules clearly state if the player in possession of the ball is still in the endzone during the holding infraction a safety is assessed. Am I missing something or did the refs clearly blow it which is highly probable since they are in fact MAC officials?

true

Where was Tom McCabe when we needed him?

McCabe is the missing piece of the puzzle. We've got the punter to pin the opposing team within the 5. Need McCabe's goal line judgement for better results.

I may be wrong about this, but I think the question is where is the ball when the foul occurs. If the impetus for the ball being in the end zone is on the offense (which it was) and if the ball is still in the end zone when the infraction occurs, it's a safety. I'm not sure if the last qualification was met, but I think it was. The announcers seemed to think so, too. If I'm wrong about, I'm sure BTC will set me straight.

I was sitting in stands behind Ohio bench and wondered too, but saw no concern from coaches, so figured it must not have been a Safety.

It looks like from the rule books that it's based on where the foul was committed, not where the ball was located. So, guess the ball can be in the endzone and a hold committed on the 1 yard line and that's not a safety.

http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/FR17.pdf

"Determining the Enforcement Spot and the Basic Spot
ARTICLE 2. a. Dead-ball fouls. The enforcement spot for a foul committed
when the ball is dead is the succeeding spot.
b. Fouls by the offensive team behind the neutral zone. For the following
fouls committed by the offensive team behind the neutral zone, the
penalty is enforced at the previous spot: illegal use of hands, holding,
illegal block and personal fouls (Exception: IF THE FOUL occurs in Team
A’s end zone the penalty is a safety.). However, see Rule 6-3-13 for
offensive team fouls during scrimmage kick plays."

Yeah, you'd be wrong about this. What matters is where did the penalty occur and what is the spot of enforcement. Holding penalties on the offense are "spot" fouls when they occur beyond the line of scrimmage, and previous spot on fouls behind the LOS. On this play, the enforcement would be the previous spot. the position of the ball has zero bearing on this enforcement.

So you're telling me that if the QB drops back 99 yards from the one to the opposite end zone, but the holding occurs at the 3 it's not a safety? THAT'S PURE POPPYCOCK! ;)

Thanks, BTC, I stand corrected.

Not in the NCAA

"Fouls by Team A behind the neutral zone. For the following fouls committed by Team A behind the neutral zone, the penalty is enforced at the previous spot: illegal use of hands, holding, illegal block and personal foul (Exception: If the foul occurs in Team A’s end zone the penalty is a safety). However, see Rule 6-3-13 for kicking team fouls during scrimmage kick plays."