How does overtime work in college football?

The 2024-25 bowl season has already been a record-setting one for multi-overtime games.

Three bowl games have required at least two overtime periods to decide a winner so far — the most in any season since OT was introduced to college football in 1996, according to ESPN.

The first overtime game of the bowl season was in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Monday, when Northern Illinois defeated Fresno State 28-20 in double OT. Then, on Tuesday, South Florida and San Jose State played to a bowl-record five overtimes in the Hawai’i Bowl, with the Bulls beating the Spartans 41-39.

But that record didn’t last for long, as Toledo outlasted Pitt 48-46 in six overtimes on Thursday to win the GameAbove Sports Bowl. That now stands as the most overtimes ever played in a bowl game.

So, how exactly does overtime work in college football? Here’s what to know:

Who gets the ball first in college football overtime?

Possession to start overtime is determined just like it is in regulation — a coin toss where the visiting team calls heads or tails. The team that wins the coin toss gets to pick whether to start overtime on offense or defense, or it can choose the end of the field it wants to defend first.

How does overtime work in college football?

Overtime play doesn’t exactly look the same as regulation play. There aren’t any kickoffs and only the play clock — and not the game clock — is utilized.

For the first overtime, each team gets one possession starting with a first-and-10 at the opposing 25-yard line. The team with the most points at the end of the period wins the game.

For example, if the team who possesses the ball first settles for a field goal, the other team can extend the game with a field goal or win it on a touchdown (not scoring at all would result in a loss for that team).

What are the rules for the 2nd overtime in college football?

Should the game remain tied after one overtime, the rules change slightly. If a team scores a touchdown in the second overtime, it must attempt a 2-point conversion.

Field goal attempts are still allowed in the second OT, but extra point tries aren’t.

What are the rules for the 3rd overtime in college football?

A game essentially turns into a 2-point conversion competition if it reaches triple overtime.

Starting in the third overtime, each team gets to attempt one two-point try. This format continues for any subsequent OT periods until a winner is decided.

The 2-point conversion rule was first introduced in 2019 for games that reached a fifth overtime, but it was changed to the third OT in 2021.

How many overtimes are there in college football?

There are no ties in college football, so an overtime game continues until a winner is decided.

What’s the record for most overtimes in a college football game?

The longest game in FBS history was a nine-overtime upset where Illinois defeated then-No. 7 Penn State in 2021. The game was tied 10-10 after regulation before the Fighting Illini secured a 20-18 victory.

Illinois-Penn State is one of just seven games to ever reach at least a seventh OT, according to the NCAA.

CNBC reporter Michael Ozanian explains the analysis behind CNBC’s list of the top 75 most valuable college athletic programs.