College Football Overtime Rules Explained Period by Period

It is 11:40 on a Saturday night, the game is tied after four quarters, and the friend on your couch who only watches the NFL asks why both teams just walked to the 25 yard line. Ten minutes later nobody is kicking extra points anymore, and by the fourth overtime the offenses are trading single plays from the 3. College football overtime rules confuse casual fans because they change as the game goes on, and the changes are exactly what make the format so tense.

Here is the whole thing, period by period, plus the strategy that coaches argue about every fall.

College Football Overtime Rules in the First Period

There is no sudden death and no game clock in college overtime. Instead, each team gets one possession per period, and the period ends when both have had their turn.

Coin toss. The visiting team captain calls it. The winner chooses to play offense or defense first, or picks which end of the field to use. The loser takes the remaining choice.
Starting spot. The offense gets a first down at the opponent's 25 yard line. Same spot for both teams.
The possession. It continues until the offense scores, turns it over, or fails to convert on downs or a field goal try. Normal first down rules apply.
Scoring. After a touchdown, the team can kick an extra point or go for two, just like in regulation.
Timeouts. Each team gets one timeout per overtime period. Unused regulation timeouts do not carry over.

If the scores are still level after both possessions, the game moves to a second period. If one team leads, it is over.

Starting at the 25 means a team is already inside field goal range for most kickers, so a single first down usually sets up a 35 to 40 yard attempt. That is why play callers often run the ball early in a possession. A sack or a holding penalty on first down can push the kick past 50 yards and change the whole plan.

The Second Overtime and the Forced Two Point Try

The second period looks almost the same: each team starts at the opponent's 25. The difference is what happens after a touchdown. Since the 2021 season, a team that scores a touchdown in the second overtime must attempt a two point conversion. No kicking the extra point.

The order of possession also flips. The team that had the ball first in period one goes second in period two, so neither side holds the advantage of knowing the target every time.

Third Overtime and Beyond: The Two Point Shootout

From the third overtime on, the 25 yard possessions disappear. Each team runs one play, a two point attempt from the 3 yard line. Teams alternate, and the rounds continue until one side converts and the other does not.

The NCAA introduced this shootout format to stop games from running endlessly. Before the change, a 2018 game between Texas A and M and LSU went seven overtimes and finished 74 to 72, with players running full drives deep into the night. The first game to really test the newer rule came in October 2021, when Illinois beat Penn State 20 to 18 in nine overtimes, the longest game in FBS history by periods but one that took far less time than older marathons.

Period	Where the ball starts	After a touchdown
1st overtime	Opponent's 25	Kick or go for two
2nd overtime	Opponent's 25	Must go for two
3rd overtime and later	Opponent's 3, one play only	Two point attempts alternate

Turnovers, Penalties and Other Edge Cases

A few situations trip up even regular viewers.

Defensive scores. If the defense intercepts or recovers a fumble and returns it for a touchdown, the game ends immediately when that team would otherwise be the winner. A turnover without a score simply ends the possession.
Penalties carry. Yardage penalties apply on the next play, so a holding call can push an offense back from the 25 to the 35.
Field goals still count. In periods one and two, a field goal is worth three. Teams going second often play for one once they know the target.
No ties in the bowl season or playoffs. Every college game since 1996 has played to a winner, regular season included.

Should You Always Take Defense First

Almost every coin toss winner chooses defense. The thinking is simple: if you go second, you know exactly what you need. Opponent kicked a field goal? You can play conservatively for three. They scored a touchdown? You know fourth down is a must go.

I think the edge is real but smaller than broadcasters suggest, and in some games it disappears. Here is where the conventional wisdom misses:

If your kicker is shaky and theirs is reliable, going first and scoring a touchdown puts pressure on an offense that cannot fall back on a short kick.
Possessions alternate in period two. If you expect a long game, the team that goes second in period one goes first in period two anyway.
In the two point shootout, order matters less than play calling. A team with a strong short yardage run game might want the ball first to set the tone.

Most coaches still pick defense, and that is reasonable. But a team with an elite offense and a weak defense has a sound case for taking the ball first and making the other side answer.

How It Differs From the NFL

NFL overtime is a timed period with kickoffs, and the game can end in a tie during the regular season. College has no clock, no kickoffs and no ties. If you follow both, our explainer on NFL playoff tiebreakers shows how the pro league handles deadlocks in the standings instead of on the field. Overtime wins also count the same as regulation wins in metrics such as the NCAA NET rankings used in basketball, a point worth remembering when college football rankings start leaning on similar data.

Depth matters more in long games too, which is one reason rosters built through the transfer portal and its effect on recruiting now prioritise experienced backups.

FAQ

Can a college football game end in a tie?

No. Since overtime was adopted across the sport for the 1996 season, every game plays on until there is a winner. Ties now exist only in history books and in some lower levels of play.

Where do teams start in college overtime?

In the first two periods, each offense starts with a first down at the opponent's 25 yard line. From the third overtime on, the ball is placed at the 3 yard line for a single two point attempt.

When do teams have to go for two in overtime?

Two point attempts are required after any touchdown starting in the second overtime. From the third overtime on, the whole period consists of alternating two point attempts.

How many timeouts do teams get in college overtime?

Each team receives one timeout per overtime period. Timeouts left over from regulation are lost, so coaches who saved them for overtime gain nothing.