Johns Hopkins takes advantage of the most obscure rule in football for game-winning field goal over Muhlenberg

Yahoo Sports • October 31, 2026 • sports

Key Points:

Division III Johns Hopkins secured a 31-28 victory over Muhlenberg using the rarely seen fair-catch kick rule, with Kaleb Wayt making a 39-yard field goal as time expired.
The fair-catch kick rule allows a team that has just made a fair catch on a punt to attempt an uncontested field goal from the spot of the catch, with the opposing team lined up 10 yards away and unable to rush the kicker.
This obscure rule was reinstated by the NCAA ahead of the 2026 season after decades of disuse at the college level, offering a unique strategic option in late-game situations.
Johns Hopkins improved to 2-5 with the win, while Muhlenberg fell to 4-3, and experts expect fair-catch kicks to remain extremely rare in college football moving forward.