3. One-point safety
Team A kicks off from the A35. On any other play from scrimmage that is not an extra-point attempt, the play as described is ruled as a safety on the defense. Because the defense forced the ball into its own end zone, that makes a dead ball in the end zone a safety. (If the offense forces the ball into and becomes dead in the defense’s end zone without possessing the ball, it is ruled a touchback.)
On the conversion attempt, you score two points for what would ordinarily be a touchdown, one point for what would be a field goal. A never-used provision in the rulebook states that if the play is ruled a safety against the defense, it is a one-point safety.
Rule 11-3-2(c):
If there is no kick, and the [conversion] Try results in what would ordinarily a safety against the defense, one point is awarded to the offensive team.
Updated, 2015 season: Since the NFL rule was that a ball is dead on a conversion try as soon as the defense possesses the ball, it made this unlikely ruling even more unlikely. By batting or propelling the ball into the end zone, without actually possessing it, this was really the only way a one-point safety could be scored. However, as of the 2015 season, the defense is allowed to possess the ball, increasing the possible outcomes to be ruled a safety.
Because in college football it is legal for the defense to possess the ball (and even score) on a conversion attempt, it has happened four times that we are aware of (video of 2004 Texas A&M vs. Texas game). Update 1/3/13: We updated the count to four occurrences after the 2013 Fiesta Bowl.
And, before you think that the defense in the NFL could get a point if the offense inexplicably retreated 98 yards into their end zone…
The defensive team cannot score on a Try.
Team A attempts a two-point conversion. Quarterback A1 fumbles the ball while trying to hand off to A2, and the ball rolls parallel to the goal line, coming to a rest on the 3-yard line. Defensive lineman B1 tries to land on the ball, but he instead forces the ball into the end zone where it then rolls out of bounds. What is the call?
The 2013 Fiesta Bowl featured a variation on Question 3.
Ah…. Dickie Moegel.
This almost happened in a 1997 Jaguars-Steelers game. The potential game-winning field goal for the Steelers was blocked, and as a Jaguar began to return it for a touchdown, he ran past Bill Cowher, who made a motion as if he was going to tackle the player. Cowher said that he almost made the tackle.
For Q #1, I have always been interested to see a 7th Quarter kickoff happen, but it never has as of yet. I did watch the Los Angeles Express Triple-Overtime USFL playoff game on ABC, and no kickoff occurred to start the 3rd OT period, only the ends of the field at the LA coliseum were switched, with possession maintained by the offense, as a continuation of the same drive from the end of the 2nd OT period.
Wow! Good to know someone was watching.
With all of the revisions to the overtime section of the rulebook for modified sudden death, it is a little more clearly stated that there is another kickoff. Before then, it was probably an item in the officials’ Casebook.