College football games do not end in a tie under the current rules. The sport’s governing body mandates that a definitive winner must be determined for every contest. The process for breaking a deadlock is a structured, successive series of possessions that continues until one team holds an advantage.
Current Rules on Ties
The rule eliminating ties is straightforward: if the score remains even at the end of the fourth quarter, the game immediately transitions into an overtime procedure. There is no time component or sudden-death aspect to the start of the extra period. The NCAA applies the same overtime structure to all FBS contests, meaning a regular-season rivalry game and a major bowl game follow identical protocols.
The objective of the extra period is to give each team an equal opportunity to score. A tied score after regulation time is simply a trigger for the continuation of play, not a final result. The game clock is no longer a factor once regulation ends, as the contest is decided by a series of possessions instead of elapsed time.
How College Football Overtime Works
The system used to break a tie is often referred to as the “Kansas Playoff” format, which focuses on alternating offensive possessions rather than playing a full extra period of timed football. The procedure begins with a coin toss, the winner of which chooses whether to start on offense or defense, or which end of the field to use. Each team is given one untimed possession starting from the opponent’s 25-yard line in the first two overtime periods.
First Overtime and Second Overtime
In the first overtime period, teams operate with standard scoring rules, meaning they can attempt a field goal or an extra point after a touchdown. If the score remains tied after both teams have completed their possessions, the game progresses to the second overtime period. Beginning with the second overtime, the rules become more aggressive to accelerate the conclusion of the contest. If a team scores a touchdown in the second overtime, they are then required to attempt a two-point conversion instead of kicking a standard extra point.
The mandatory two-point conversion rule was introduced to reduce the duration of extended games by making it more difficult to continually match scores. This requirement forces coaches to make higher-risk, higher-reward play-calling decisions under pressure. Both teams still start their possessions from the opponent’s 25-yard line in the second period, maintaining the equal opportunity principle. If the score is still deadlocked after the second overtime, the game advances to a highly specialized, one-play format.
Third Overtime and Beyond
Starting with the third overtime period, the possession-from-the-25-yard-line rule is replaced by a sequence of alternating two-point conversion attempts. This eliminates the possibility of long drives and field goals. The ball is placed at the three-yard line for a single play, and the teams trade attempts until one side successfully converts and the other does not.
If the first team successfully completes its two-point try, the second team must also convert its own attempt to extend the game. If the second team fails, the game immediately concludes, and the first team is declared the winner. This conversion-only shootout continues indefinitely, ensuring that a victor is eventually determined without the lengthy possessions of the earlier periods.
The Era of Tied Games
The current system is a modern development, as ties were common in college football for decades. Before the 1996 season, games that remained tied after regulation time simply concluded in a draw. The rationale behind allowing ties was rooted in tradition and the idea that the result should be determined by play within the four quarters.
The NCAA began to move away from this tradition in 1995, when an overtime procedure was first adopted for postseason bowl games. This trial led to the full adoption of the overtime rule for all regular season games starting with the 1996 season.
The elimination of ties marked a significant turning point in the sport’s history. One prominent example is the 10-10 tie between Ohio State and Michigan in 1973, a game that required a vote by Big Ten athletic directors to determine which team would advance to the Rose Bowl. Outcomes decided off the field became a major reason for the eventual rule change. The last regular season tie occurred in 1995, permanently changing how college football games conclude.