Overtime in High School Football

By 4Football Staff · October 26, 2026 · 9 min read

How a tied high school game gets settled: the coin toss, the 10-yard-line possessions, the conversion rules, and what changes from state to state.

The scoreboard reads 21-21 and the clock says 0:00. In the stands, nobody is leaving. The band has stopped playing, the players on the sideline are staring at the coaches, and the referee is walking toward midfield with a coin. A regulation game that ends tied at the high school level used to be accepted as a tie in some places. Today, in most places, it is the start of a short, high-pressure mini game called overtime.

High school overtime is different from the NFL's version and from the college system, although it shares an ancestor with the college rules. If you have watched only professional football, the first high school overtime you see may look like a different sport: no kickoff, no clock, and a set of downs that begins close to the end zone. This guide explains how it works, step by step, with the caveat that each state association can adjust the details.

Where the system comes from

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) publishes the football rulebook that most states use. That rulebook includes an overtime procedure often called the Kansas Plan, named for the state where it was developed. The same basic idea, with its own adjustments, later became the model for the college procedure. The idea is simple and fair: each team gets the ball at the same spot and gets a chance to score, so neither team gets an advantage from a lucky bounce in the middle of the field.

Individual state associations adopt the rulebook, and many make small changes. Some states have local overtime procedures, and some allow regular-season ties under particular circumstances. If your question is about a specific game, the authority is your state association and the officials working your game. For how this compares across levels, see How Overtime Works at the NFL, College and High School Levels.

The basic procedure, step by step

What follows is the standard NFHS format. Treat it as the default and check your state for exceptions.

1. The coin toss

The referee conducts a new coin toss at midfield with the captains. The visiting team's captain generally calls it. The winner chooses one of two options: whether to start on offense or defense, or which end of the field the overtime will be played toward. The other team gets the remaining option. Some teams prefer to play toward the end where their fans or the wind favor them, while others prefer to see the opponent go first so they know exactly what they need.

Like most things in the sport, the right choice is debated. A team that goes second knows what score it must match, which can influence whether it goes for a two-point conversion. A team that goes first sets the target but cannot be influenced by what happens next. Coaches pick based on their own team's strengths.

2. The ball is placed at the 10-yard line

Each team gets a possession that starts with a first and 10 at the opponent's 10-yard line. There is no kickoff. There is no game clock. The play clock, which controls the time between plays, still runs, so the offense must snap the ball on time or face a delay-of-game penalty.

The reason for the 10-yard line is practical. It puts the ball close enough that a touchdown is realistic, but not so close that scoring is guaranteed. A team has four downs to make progress and score.

3. How a possession ends

A team's possession, called a series, ends when any of the following happens:

• The offense scores a touchdown.
• The offense kicks a field goal, which also ends its turn.
• The offense turns the ball over on downs.
• The defense intercepts a pass or recovers a fumble.
• The offense gives up a safety or otherwise loses the ball.

Because the series ends when the defense gets the ball, there is no returning the ball to start a new drive. The offense simply has one try.

4. The extra point or two-point try

When an offense scores a touchdown, it gets to try for the conversion before the series is over. Teams can try a one-point kick or a two-point conversion. In most high school conventions the one-point kick is attempted from the same spot as in regulation, and the two-point play is run from the 3-yard line. Check your state's rules because spots can differ by state, and see The Two-Point Conversion Explained and Extra Point Rules for background.

5. The second team gets its turn

Once the first team has completed its series, the second team gets the ball at the same 10-yard line, moving toward the same goal. The second team now knows what it needs. If the first team scored a touchdown and converted, the second must match with a touchdown and conversion at a minimum to stay alive. If the first team scored only a field goal, the second can tie with a field goal or win with a touchdown.

6. Comparing the scores

After both teams have had a possession:

• If one team has more points, it wins. The game is over.
• If the score is still tied, a second overtime period is played.

In the second period, the order flips: the team that played defense first now plays offense first. This keeps the process fair across multiple periods. Each period is its own mini game.

Timeouts, penalties and the details that matter

A few smaller rules can surprise fans.

• Timeouts. Each team typically receives a limited number of timeouts in overtime, commonly one per period. The exact allotment is something to check in your state.
• Penalties. Penalties are enforced much as they are in regulation, so a false start moves the offense back five yards, and some defensive fouls give the offense a fresh set of downs. Because the field is so short, the distance can be limited by the goal line.
• Defensive touchdowns. If the defense intercepts a pass or recovers a fumble and returns it all the way for a touchdown, that is a score and counts for points. How a defensive score interacts with the remaining possession varies in procedure, so it is worth asking the officials or reading the state rulebook.
• Field goals. Teams can try a field goal at any time. It is often the first choice on fourth down if the offense has not scored a touchdown, especially from the 10-yard line, where a field goal is a short kick.
• Two-point tries in later periods. In many systems, teams are required to go for two points after a touchdown beginning at a certain overtime period. This speeds up the process and avoids very long games. The period at which it applies varies, so check your state.

Why overtime keeps ending in the same ways

Because the ball starts at the 10-yard line, the typical overtime possession ends in a touchdown or a field goal. That pushes the game toward higher scoring and closer margins. Most overtimes are over in one or two periods. A few go longer, and those are the games that become part of local lore.

Strategy matters. Here are the choices that coaches weigh:

1. Whether to go for two. A team that scores first can put pressure on its opponent by taking two points, forcing the opponent to score a touchdown and convert. A team that goes second may decide to go for the win after a touchdown instead of tying.
2. Whether to run or pass. From the 10-yard line, running plays are often preferred because they gain yards without risking an interception. But the defense knows that, so play calling matters.
3. Whether to kick on fourth down. A field goal can keep a team alive, but it also sets a low bar for the other team.
4. Personnel. Overtime often uses the most reliable players on both sides, because a mistake can end the game.

A team that has practiced overtime situations has an advantage. Many coaches run a short overtime drill each week during the season so players know what to expect.

The regular season, the playoffs and ties

In most states, overtime is used in both regular-season and playoff games. A few areas have exceptions, such as a limit on the number of periods in the regular season or a different tiebreaking method. Some states have allowed ties in certain situations, such as when a game is called because of weather or darkness. In the playoffs, a winner must emerge, so extra periods are played until the game is decided.

If you are unsure, check your league's handbook or ask the athletic director. The playoff format may be different from the regular season, as covered in High School Football Playoffs: Common Formats.

How it differs from college and the NFL

If you are used to watching other levels, a quick comparison helps.

The NFL is different in kind: its overtime is a timed period that begins with a kickoff, as explained in NFL Overtime Rules Explained.

College and NFL procedures have been adjusted over the years, so see College Football Overtime Rules for current college specifics. For high school, the key difference is the 10-yard line and the format that gives both teams an equal chance.

A hypothetical overtime

Suppose two teams are tied at 14-14 after regulation.

1. The visiting captain calls the coin toss and wins. The visitors choose to play defense first.
2. The home team takes the ball at the visitors' 10-yard line. On first down the running back gains 3 yards. On second down the quarterback is sacked for a loss. On third down a short pass falls incomplete.
3. On fourth down, the home coach sends out the kicker. The field goal is good. The home team leads 17-14.
4. Now the visiting team takes the ball at the home team's 10-yard line. It needs a touchdown to win or a field goal to tie.
5. The visitors gain 6 yards on first down and 3 on second down, which sets up third and goal at the 1-yard line. On third down the fullback scores. The visitors lead 20-17, and because the home team has already had its turn, the game is over without a conversion being needed.

Real overtimes can be much more complex, with turnovers on the first snap or multiple periods, but this is the basic rhythm.

What players and parents should know

• Be ready for it. A team that expects overtime is calmer when it arrives.
• Stay hydrated and warm. Overtime adds minutes of effort to an already tired roster, and cold or heat matters. Athletic trainers can help; see Athletic Trainers in High Schools: Why They Matter.
• Know your state's rule. Ask the coach or look up the state association's rulebook summary.
• Remember the human side. An overtime loss can be hard on teenagers. Praise the effort first and the result second.

You can follow high school and college scores on our scores page, and find a team's school page in the high school directory.

The short version

• Most high school football uses an overtime format based on the NFHS procedure, often called the Kansas Plan.
• A coin toss decides who chooses offense or defense, or the field end.
• Each team starts a series at the opponent's 10-yard line with no game clock, and a series ends on a score, a turnover or a failed fourth down.
• Touchdowns can be followed by a one-point kick or a two-point try, and later periods often require two-point tries.
• If still tied, another period is played with the order reversed.
• States may change timeouts, conversion rules and how ties are treated, so confirm with your state association.