Explaining Different CFL Overtime Rules Compared to NFL, College Football
Casual football fans watching the CFL on Thursday or just seeing the highlights might have needed clarification on the overtime rules. The league saw its first tie since 2017 after the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa Redblacks played to 22-22 draw.
It's a different look to the overtime rules compared to the NFL and college football in America. So, what are the rules for a CFL overtime?
It all starts with the coin toss to see who will get the first decision on playing on offense or defense. Each team will have one timeout during the overtime. There isn't a game clock that rolls as it will stay at zero for the duration of the game.
Both teams will have one offensive possession to score. They start their drives at the opponents' 35-yard line.
If a touchdown is scored, a two-point conversion must be attempted. After both teams go on offense, if one team is leading, the leading team wins. If both teams are still tied, each team will get a second possession that will also start at the opponent's 35-yard line.
Whoever goes on defense to start the overtime will get the first offensive possession in the second overtime. If both teams are still tied after each has a second offensive possession, the game can result in a draw. In the playoffs, if the game is still tied after the second offensive possession, the game will continue until a winner is determined.
The NFL is different with overtime rules in that each team only gets one possession. If the first team scores a touchdown, the game is over without the other team possessing the ball. There is a game clock that runs for 10 minutes. Kickoffs are still part of overtime, so each team can start their possessions wherever they get tackled on the kickoff. NFL teams get two timeouts instead of one like in the CFL.
The college football rules are somewhat similar in how the possessions start but on different yard lines. But there are plenty of differences between how the CFL does its overtime, which makes it unique compared to what American fans are used to with the NFL and college.
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ANTHONY MILLER