What it is

A scoop and score is when a defender picks up a loose ball, often after a fumble, and runs with it into the end zone for a touchdown.

In a game

The ball bounces free after a hit or a mistake, and the defender has to grab it and run. It is a big momentum change.

More detail

Fumbles are hard to predict, so luck plays a role, but defenders practice stripping the ball and then scooping it up. A recovered fumble can be advanced by the defense, unlike a fumble out of bounds.