College Football Overtime Rules: A Refresher

Overtime is a common way of breaking ties in the world of football. There are a few variations of the rules for overtime, with specific differences between the NFL and college football. Let us take an in-depth look at college football overtime rules.

Rules of overtime since 2021

In college football, there are a maximum of four periods of overtime. There isn't a game clock, just a play clock. There aren't any mandated kickoffs, and all possessions start at the 25-yard line. Possession lasts until there is a turnover or a team scores. The visiting captain calls the coin toss, with which the winner determines one of two options: The side of the field, and the option to start with defense or offense.

There is one time-out per period, and up to four additional overtime periods that don't carry over. They are played if the teams remain tied after both teams have had possession. A key difference with the NFL is that both teams get possession and a chance to score regardless of the situation. After the second period, teams have to attempt two-point conversions after a touchdown.

After the third period, the teams must run alternating two-point conversion attempts instead of regular offensive touchdown plays. The rules are the same in the regular season and the playoffs.

Do you recall games going down to the wire in overtime? Sound off in the comment section.

About the author

Andres is an analyst who has reported on college basketball and college football at Sportskeeda since 2023. Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in law from Universidad Metropolitana in Venezuela, and has minor in International Relations. Andres holds a college certificate in Sports Entities Management from Unisport Management School in Spain. He is also an alumnus of the FIFA/CIES International Programme in Sports Management by FIFA and Universidad Metropolitana, and has been accepted into the Harvard CORe online program for which he was awarded a grant.

Given his background in sports management, law and business, Andres loves any chance to jump into the industry side of things and explain what's happening behind the curtain. He takes care when it comes to separating the wheat from the chaff and ensures he refers only to appropriate and respected sources.

His favorite college team is the Arkansas Razorbacks. While Troy Aikman and Joe Montana are two of his most favorite QBs, he is also an admirer of Joe Burrow's style and is rooting for Riley Leonard to do well.

Andres is an avid reader, likes adventure sports, dabbles in rock climbing, and is also a scuba diver. He is also an enthusiastic gamer, especially when it comes to strategy PC titles and loves his fair share of Halo.

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Edited by Siddharth Sikdar