What is a Forced Touch in college football?

Answer 1

You have 'illegal touching' on a player when a kick is touched by the kicking team. The receiving team, regardless of the outcome of the play, can choose to take the play at that spot.

There is also the concept of 'touching' when a receiving player touches the ball on a kick. At that point, the kicking team can recover the kick and maintain possession.

A "forced touch" is when that touch occurs because the opposing player 'forces' an opponent to touch the ball. For example, if a receiving player is being blocked by a kicking team player and the kicking team player blocks the receiving team player into the ball, the receiving team player is 'being forced to touch the ball by the block.' In this instance, the kicking team cannot recover the ball and maintain possession, because the touching of the ball by the receiving team was a 'force touch.'