Can you win by two scores in college football OT?
Obscure rules question but I have no idea if this has happened since the advent of OT in 1995.
Let’s say Michigan is up on OSU in OT by a score of 31-24. OSU throws a pick and instead of Dax Hill falling down so the game is over he runs it back 97 yards for a pick six.
Does it count? Is it W 37-24 OT? Has this ever happened before?
September 5th, 2019 at 3:39 PM ^
But it would be dumb for him to run it back when he can end the game by just falling down. Never forget the stupidity of Oregon last year. Could have ended the game by taking a knee. Ended up running the ball, fumbling, and losing the game.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:51 PM ^
You know....I thought the same thing. Then I remembered what happened in the picture below. The smart thing to have done was to swat the ball because Wisconsin was on fourth down within their own 10 or something. We could have scored at least a field goal on the ensuing drive, which would have ended the game. But...sometimes players do something because said something is awesome. That interception against Wisconsin was something awesome.
If UM has a chance to beat OSU by two scores and it's easy to do, then do it. Fuck that corrupt football program to hell. I want to so badly beat the living shit out of them on the field, but know it's very difficult. Fuck them all.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:09 PM ^
a fair point but I think in the heat of the moment the likely thought process is not "if I just bat this down we get the ball on the 10" but perhaps "I will take this ball and it is mine because if I bat it down it might hit some jokers foot and then some other joker with the wrong styled helmet* makes some ridiculous play and suddenly everyone is showing old Franco Harris videos".
* wrong styled helmet is any helmet that is not Michigan's winged helmet
September 5th, 2019 at 5:02 PM ^
Missouri Nebraska 1997, that's what I was thinking when you said a ball hit some joker's foot. Missouri's upset of Nebraska was upset by just such a play.
September 5th, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
It didn't just "hit a player's foot" - a Nebraska player deliberately kicked it, an obvious penalty that went uncalled.
September 5th, 2019 at 9:51 PM ^
Exactly. A better (yet depressing) example would be when the ball bounced directly up off of Braylon's heel in the Rose Bowl and fell perfectly into the hands of a USC defender, giving them the ball at our own 20.
September 5th, 2019 at 5:49 PM ^
Ha. I was at that game and despite being an amazing catch, my immediate thought was, "why did he do that? If he swats it down, we get the ball at the 9 yard line." But the stadium was going nuts and I cheered along instead.
September 5th, 2019 at 7:36 PM ^
I was in my basement, getting completely hammered, and thought the exact same thing.
Only home game I didn't attend that year.
September 5th, 2019 at 7:48 PM ^
99.9% of the time you all would be right. In that 0.1% chance, what if he were to swat at it and it ricochets off the wiscy player and another wiscy player makes the catch? While unlikely, I never would have imagined the punt block / score against staee.
September 5th, 2019 at 8:02 PM ^
Except if you try to bat it down, you could end up tipping it up into the waiting arms of a receiver - something ND seems to have benefitted from many times. I was at that game sweating bullets and very happy for the pick that essentially ended the game.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
Which game did Oregon do that?
September 5th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
Against Stanford
September 5th, 2019 at 11:19 PM ^
I just watched the highlights of that game and Stanford won in OT by scoring a touchdown and then interceprting a ball on Oregon's next possession.
But I remember a freshman Woodson picking an OSU pass as time expired and running around a bit before being tackled all while UM was ahead. I was yelling at him to fall down.
I also remember Anthony Thomas bursting through the line for a first down against NW that would have killed the remaing clock. But he kept truckig and fumbled to NW giving them a shot to win; which they did.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:10 AM ^
I remember Ricky Powers attempting to ‘run out the clock’ in a Homecoming against Illinois, but instead fumbling and giving them a shot to win; which they did. BPONE man. It’s a disease.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
maybe
September 5th, 2019 at 3:46 PM ^
Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo
September 5th, 2019 at 3:52 PM ^
Catch WD by his sweat activated Michigan branded T
September 5th, 2019 at 4:17 PM ^
and if WD hollers, "look at me, look at me, I'm a donor, I'm in Bakes' books, and I got Brandon fired"...
... well then, give WD a +1
September 5th, 2019 at 3:53 PM ^
Did someone type Mo?
September 5th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
Michigan scores a TD on the opening drive....one score game
Michigan proceeds to pick-six....end of game....two-score game.
Has it happened....maybe
September 5th, 2019 at 3:32 PM ^
Yes. This is dumb.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:33 PM ^
Largest margin of victory would be 14 points.
ASU beat USC 48-35 in double OT in 1996.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:43 PM ^
I guess that's right but I assume you mean because the team scores a TD, gets a 2-point conversion, and then has a pick-six or fumble recovery TD to win.
In more conventional terms, you don't kick the XP after the second TD so the "typical" margin would be 13, but I think you are right that 14 is the largest possible margin.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:45 PM ^
In the first two overtimes the typical margin would be 13, but from the third OT onward, it would be 12 or 14.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:53 PM ^
Wrong. You can go for 2 in the first OT as well.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:59 PM ^
I didn't say you couldn't. We are talking about typical scores. Unless your kicker is injured, you're not likely to go for two if you score first in OT, until the third session when you're required to.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:47 PM ^
Have you watched many OT College Football games? I wouldn't say it's anywhere even near uncommon for a team to go for the two point conversion during the first OT. Many times, teams just want to try to end the game. I certainly wouldn't say it rarely happens or anything of that nature.
September 5th, 2019 at 5:33 PM ^
I'm talking about teams that score first, to take the lead. Not teams that score second.
September 5th, 2019 at 5:41 PM ^
It’s not uncommon for a team to go for 2 and the win if they’re the second team to score (i.e. Team A scores a TD and kicks the XP to go up 7, Team B comes back and scores and goes for two and the win). But that’s not what is being considered here. They’re talking about scoring first in OT, and going for 2 to go up 8. I can’t recall ever seeing that. Therefore, it’s likely to be a 13-pt win if this two-score scenario happens in the first two OT’s.
September 5th, 2019 at 5:39 PM ^
Which is why UNI lost to Iowa State last weekend. If you’re the underdog, you should always try to shorten the game and take the high risk high reward play
September 5th, 2019 at 7:31 PM ^
If you made it this far in the game im not sure you need to take any extra risk. The game at that point is a draw. Why suddenly get all the way to that point to go with a lower percentage play. Its probably the dumbest rationale in all of sports. “Great work guys now we are going to desperately try a lower percentage play that was there for us the entire game but suddenly only makes sense now”
If you think about it for a second it really makes no sense.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
It could also be 9 at any time.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:46 PM ^
Yes. 14 point margin if up 8 on a 2 point conversion first.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:50 PM ^
I was at this game my freshman year, parents weekend, and I seem to remember there being talk after the fact that the refs fucked it up. I believe the rule at the time was the ball was dead after the interception and the game should have been over before the return for the TD. I remember thinking it was a dumb rule and I guess I’m still not sure if that was how the OT rules were written back then.
Another fun fact, I believe that was the first OT game in D1 college football history.
September 5th, 2019 at 3:57 PM ^
If I recall, the first OT game was the Las Vegas Bowl between CMU and some other team out west, I want to say the 94 or 95 season.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:05 PM ^
1996 was the first season that college football played ot’s.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:12 PM ^
For some reason OT was instituted FBS during the 1995 bowl season. Wisconsin-Illinois in 1995 was the last tie in college football history.
Here is the fumble return TD in 2OT by ASU.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:26 PM ^
Scoop and score, I was remembering interception. Anyway, same situation, I remember there being talk that the ref should have blown the play dead when ASU picked up the fumble. Also, I was sitting in the endzone that the return was ran to. Place was going bananas.
September 5th, 2019 at 4:36 PM ^
The best part of that video is the salute to usc.....
September 5th, 2019 at 4:50 PM ^
All-American LT, Juan Roque
September 5th, 2019 at 4:52 PM ^
Pat Tillman in that video
RIP to the Legend
September 5th, 2019 at 5:50 PM ^
Some have claimed ASU was a 7.5 or 8 point favorite, though I can't verify it. If so, the ultimate bad beat for USC backers.
Another example of the two-score win in OT:
CMU 36, EMU 23 in 1998, on a 100 yard INT return
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Central_Michigan_Chippewas_football_team
September 5th, 2019 at 11:23 PM ^
My feather-eared copy of Phil Steele's 2000 preview magazine says the line on that 1996 game was "Arizona State -6."
I've heard 7.5 and 8 also - and it's possible some people got that line - but I don't think that was a true "bad beat" for many people. It's become a bit of a "urban legend" over the years.
Now the "bad beat" story that IS true is Nebraska @ K-State in 1998. K-State was favored by 10.5 (that was the closing line, and the same Phil Steele magazine proves it).
The particulars of that game: K-State up 4, Nebraska with the ball and 15 seconds left. K-State backers need a miracle. They get it: a fumble returned - the linebacker JUST BARELY hitting the pylon - for a touchdown with 4 seconds left! But then all the fans rush the field! It takes 10 minutes to get them off the field. Time for the extra point! With Automatica Gramatica! But Bill Snyder decides to have K-State TAKE A KNEE ON THE EXTRA POINT! K-State wins by 10. K-State -10.5 does not cover.
(and yes, I'm still bitter 21 years later. I had $100 on K-State!)
September 5th, 2019 at 4:01 PM ^
Nice, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
September 5th, 2019 at 3:37 PM ^
It may not have happened before but theoretically it is a possible outcome. Picks in OT can be returned for touchdowns, I believe there would be no PAT however as the game would be effectively over. If there is a PAT, might want to take a knee instead so the kick doesn't get blocked and returned for a TD!
See the link below for a Bucknell pick 6 to end a game in OT.
Edit: Today I learned, blocked PATs returned to the opposite endzone is a safety (2 points).
September 5th, 2019 at 3:44 PM ^
Wait, I thought a returned PAT was worth 2 points, is that wrong?