Out of bounds In sports , out of bounds ( or out - of - bounds ) refers to being outside the playing boundaries of the field . Due to the chaotic nature of play , it is normal in many sports for players and / or the ball to go out of bounds frequently during a game . The legality of going out of bounds ( intentionally or not ) , and the ease of prevention , vary by sport . In some cases , players may intentionally go or send the ball out of bounds when it is to their advantage . Skiing . In skiing , an out of bounds area is considered one that is outside of the area owned / serviced by a ski resort . Out of bounds areas can either be accessed by ducking under a rope or fence , or through marked gates . Usually , if one is caught ' cutting a rope ' , one will lose skiing privileges at the ski resort ; depending on where one does so , they may also be arrested for trespassing . Out of bounds areas are not serviced by any type of lift , thus one must usually hike out of the area . Also , out of bounds areas are not serviced by a resorts ski patrol and are not checked for avalanche potential , thus one must be properly equipped for avalanche rescue and understand that a rescue may be incredibly costly . Gridiron football . In gridiron football , a play is considered to be dead if a ball or the player carrying the ball goes out of bounds . A ball thrown out of bounds is considered an incomplete pass , even if it is caught . In the NFL , the clock stops whenever a player carrying the ball steps out of bounds or fumbles the ball out of bounds . Within the last 2 minutes of the first half , the last 5 minutes of the game , or after a change of possession , the clock remains stopped until the next snap ; at all other times , the clock restarts when the referee signals indicating that the ball has been placed for the next down . In arena football , the field is walled so that play can almost never go out of bounds . At all other times , the clock keeps ticking . In college football , the clock stops when the ballcarrier goes out of bounds . If there are more than two minutes left in either half , the clock resumes when the umpire marks the ball as ready for the next play . If there are less than two minutes left in the half , the clock resumes upon the next play . If the player with the ball goes out of bounds in his own end zone , in most cases , it is considered to be a safety in favor of the other team . A kickoff that goes out of bounds is a penalty . Up through 1986 , this required the kicking team to rekick the ball from five yards behind the spot of the original kickoff , unless the penalty was declined by the receiving team . In 1987 , the NFL instituted a new rule , where the ball would be awarded to the receiving team five yards ahead of the spot where it went out of bounds . In Canadian football , if a fumble goes out of bounds , the team of the last player to touch it gets possession . Baseball . In major league baseball , it is possible in baseball for a dugout to be a factor in play . MLB rule 6 . 05 ( a ) states that a fielder may reach into a dugout to catch a fly ball as long as one or both feet is on or over the playing field , and does not have a foot on the ground in the dugout when making the catch . MLB universal ground rules state that the player may subsequently enter the dugout after making the catch if his momentum is carrying him that way , but if he falls in the dugout as a result , the catch is allowed but baserunners advance in accordance with Rule 7 . 04 ( c ) . [ 3 ] A live ball entering a dugout becomes dead and the batter - runner and any baserunners advance in accordance with Rule 7 . 04 ( c ) . However , a live ball bouncing off a dugout railing , if present , is still in play ( unless a foul ball ) . Due to the dugouts ' location in foul territory , live balls entering dugouts usually only occur after an errant throw by the defensive team . Individual leagues at levels below MLB are free to set their own rules governing the dugouts as is appropriate for their league ' s ballparks and playing level . For example , the rule governing reaching into dugouts to catch fly balls would not apply in leagues where the dugouts are separated from the field by a chain - link fence that is taller than the players . Basketball . When the ball goes out of bounds , it shall be thrown into the field and played by the first person touching it . In case of dispute , the umpire shall throw it straight into the field . The thrower - in is allowed five seconds . If he holds it longer , it shall go to the opponent . If any side persists in delaying the game , the umpire shall call a foul on that side . Australian rules football . In Australian rules football , the ball is considered out of bounds when the whole of the ball is outside the boundary line or any part of the ball touches the behind post . Sending the ball out of bounds will result in a free kick against the team sending the ball out of bounds when the ball goes out of bounds from a kick on the full ( without bouncing or being touched by another player ) , or if forced deliberately out of bounds by a player . If the ball goes out of bound from a kick - in after a behind is scored without being touched by any player , or forced out of bounds on the full from a hit - out in a ruck contest after a throw - in , the ball is deemed to be deliberately out of bounds . In any other case , the boundary umpire will throw the ball in from the boundary line . Golf . In Golf , " " Out of Bounds " " is beyond the boundaries of the golf course or any part of the course so marked by the committee in charge of the competition or the golf course . If a ball is " out of bounds " , the player must play a ball , under penalty of one stroke , as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played . Reference : " Rules of Golf 2012 - 2015 , Rule 27 - 1 b . Ball Out of Bounds " , published by the R & A - and approved by the United States Golf Association ( USGA ) . A golf ball is " out of bounds " when all of it lies " out of bounds " . A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds . Reference : " Rules of Golf 2012 - 2015 , Section II Definitions " .