Overtime (sports)
Encyclopedia
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie
or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination tournament
s where only one team or player per match can advance to the next round. In other sports, particular those prominently played in North America
where draws are generally disfavored, some form of extra time is employed for all games.
The rules of overtime or extra time vary between sports and even different competitions. Some may employ "sudden death", where the first player or team who scores immediately wins the game. In others, play continues until a specified time has elapsed, and only then is the winner declared. If the contest remains tied after the extra session, depending on the rules, the match may immediately end as a draw, additional periods may be played, or a different tiebreaking procedure such as a penalty shootout
may be used instead.
The term "overtime" is primarily used in North America, whereas "extra time" is used in other continents.
competitions, teams play an additional 30 minutes extra time where the deciding leg or replay of a tie has not produced a winner by the end of regulation or full time. Extra time is governed by the rules of the tournament, rather than the laws of the game. It follows a short break where players remain on or around the field of play and comprises two 15-minute periods, with teams changing ends in between. In a one-off tie or deciding replay, level scores nearly always go to extra time. Over two-legs, teams only play extra time in the second leg where the aggregate score – then normally followed by an away goals rule
– has not produced a winner first. The score in games or ties resorting to extra time are often recorded with the abbreviation a.e.t. (after extra time), usually accompanying the earlier score after regulation time.
Not all knock-out competitions always employ extra time. For example, ties in the English FA Cup
used to be decided by as many replays until one produces a winner, although replays are now limited to just the one. Equally, CONMEBOL
has historically never used extra time in any of the competitions it directly organises, such as the Copa Libertadores (today, it uses extra time only in the final match of a competition).
Ties that are still without a winner after extra time are usually decided by kicks from the penalty spot, commonly called a penalty shootout
. In the late-1990s and early-2000s, many international matches tried to reduce this by employing the golden goal
(also called "sudden death") or silver goal rules (the game ending if a team has the lead after the first 15-minute period of extra time), but competitions have not retained these.
introduced overtime for any divisional tiebreak games beginning in 1940
, and for championship games beginning in 1946
. The first postseason game to be played under these rules was the 1958 championship match between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants (the so-called "Greatest Game Ever Played"). In 1974, the NFL adopted sudden death overtime for regular season games. If the score is tied after regulation time has concluded, an additional 15-minute period is played. The captains meet with the officials for a coin toss, and then one side kicks off to the other, as at the start of a game. The first team to score during the extra period wins the game. In the regular season, if the overtime period is completed without either side scoring, the game ends in a tie. Because there cannot be a tie in the playoff
s, the teams switch ends of the field and start additional 15-minute overtime periods until one side scores. The longest NFL game played to date is 82 minutes, 40 seconds (and the Chiefs' last-ever game at Municipal Stadium), Miami kicker Garo Yepremian kicked the winning 37-yard field goal after 7:40 of double-overtime in the 1971–72 NFL playoffs. The longest in all of modern professional football is a 1984 United States Football League
playoff game, also using the sudden death rule, in which the Los Angeles Express
defeated the Michigan Panthers
27–21 in triple overtime.
As a consequence of the 1974 rule changes, the number of tie games dropped dramatically. Only 17 NFL games have ended in a tie since then, and just four since 1990. The most recent was in 2008 when the Philadelphia Eagles tied with the Cincinnati Bengals 13-13.
Scoreless ties were common in the early years of the NFL, but none have happened since 1943.
In March 2010, the NFL
amended its rules for postseason overtime after a vote by the team owners. If the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdown on their first possession, they are declared the winner. If they score a field goal on their first possession, however, the opposing team is given possession of the ball and an opportunity to score; if the score is tied again after that possession, sudden death rules apply and the next team to score by any method is declared the winner, and the number of additional 15 minute periods will not matter. If neither team scores there will be another overtime period to be played, and that procedure is repeated until a winner is declared. The rule change currently only applies to postseason games; regular season games will continue to use the existing sudden death rules.
The Arena Football League
and NFL Europa used a variant in which each team is guaranteed one possession. Whoever is leading after one possession wins the game; if the teams remain tied after one possession, the game goes to sudden death. This procedure was used by the United Football League in its inaugural 2009 season.
The short-lived World Football League
, for its inaugural 1974 season (the same year the NFL established sudden death in the regular season), used extra time (one full fifteen-minute quarter, divided into two halves).
The New York Pro Football League
, a 1910s-era league that eventually had several of its teams join the NFL, used the replay
to settle ties in its playoff tournament. The replay was used in the 1919 tournament to decide the championship between the Buffalo Prospects and the Rochester Jeffersons
had played to a tie on Thanksgiving; Buffalo won the replay 20–0 to win the championship.
(beginning with the 1996 season) and high school football
, as well as the Canadian Football League
, an overtime procedure is used to determine the winner. This method is sometimes referred to as a "Kansas Playoff
," or "Kansas Plan" because of its origins for high school football in that state. A brief summary of the rules:
On two occasions, just two plays were required to determine an overtime winner in an NCAA football game. These occurred on September 26, 2002, when Louisville
defeated Florida State
26–20, and September 27, 2003 when Georgia Tech
defeated Vanderbilt
24–17.
It is possible for a college game to end after a single play in overtime if the team on defense secures a turnover and returns it for a touchdown. (One example of a defensive touchdown ending the game occurred on September 9, 2005 when Ohio
defeated Pittsburgh
16–10 on an 85 yard interception return by Dion Byrum
; this occurred on the third play of overtime.) Furthermore, it is possible (but not likely) that the defense may get a safety on the first possession in overtime, thus ending the game after only one overtime play. Because this would require the offense to go backward 75 yards, this is extremely improbable and has never happened in FBS.
As of 2011, the Missouri Tigers
have competed in the most overtime college football games, totalling 14.
used a modified Kansas Playoff, where the series would start on the 20-yard line and have four downs to score. However, if the first team to play overtime scored a touchdown in less than four downs, the second team would have to score in just as many plays (for instance, if the first team scored a touchdown on three downs, the second team would only have three downs to score a touchdown). Neither team could kick a field goal until the fourth down. Rather than a coin toss, the winner of the opening scramble at the beginning of the game also got to choose to go first or second in overtime.
, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, the teams play a five-minute overtime period. In levels below collegiate/Olympic play, an overtime period is half the length of a standard quarter, i.e., four minutes for high school varsity. FIBA 33
, a formalized version of the halfcourt three-on-three game, uses two-minute overtime periods. The alternating possession rule is used to start all overtime periods under international
rules while a jump ball is used under high school
and NCAA
rules, with the arrow reset based on the results of the jump ball to start each overtime. The National Basketball Association
, which uses a quarter-possession rule to start periods after the opening jump, also uses a jump ball. The entire overtime period is played; there is no sudden-death provision. The only exception is in FIBA 33, in which the game ends by rule once either team has scored at least 33 points. All counts of personal fouls against players are carried over for the purpose of disqualifying players. If the score remains tied after an overtime period, an additional overtime period is played.
As many as six overtime periods have been necessary to determine a winner in a NBA game.
In exhibition games (non-competitive play), it is upon the discretion of the coaches and/or organizers if an overtime is to be played, especially if it is a non-tournament game (a one-off event).
Starting in the 2009–10 season, ULEB
, the organizer of the Euroleague and Eurocup, introduced a new rule for two-legged ties that eliminated overtime unless necessary to break a tie on aggregate. The rule was first used in the 2009–10 Eurocup
quarterfinals (which consist of two-legged ties), although no game in that phase of the competition ended in a regulation draw. ULEB extended this rule to all two-legged ties in its competitions, including the Euroleague, in 2010–11. One game in the qualifying rounds
of that season (the only phase of the Euroleague that uses two-legged ties), specifically the second leg of the third qualifying round tie between Spirou Charleroi
and ALBA Berlin
, ended in a draw after regulation. No overtime was played in that game because Spirou had won the first leg. Although other competitions use two-legged ties at various stages, the ULEB competitions are the only ones known to use overtime only if the aggregate score after the second game is tied.
due to the game's low-scoring nature. If the score is tied at the end of regulation play, certain leagues play overtime.
The 5-minute overtime period was introduced for regular season games beginning with the 1983–84 NHL season, but with teams at full strength on the ice. Overtime in the regular season was reduced to four skaters a side starting in the 2000–2001 season. The "shootout" was introduced for the 2005–06 NHL regular season.
and softball
are unique among the popular North American team sports in that they do not use a game clock. However, if the regulation number of innings are complete (normally nine in baseball and seven in softball) and the score is even, the game continues for multiple extra innings
as are needed to determine a winner. The only exception to this is in Nippon Professional Baseball, where the game ends in a draw after 12 innings if the score is tied. Ties are allowed to stand in the regular season; postseason ties (which happen after 15 innings) must be replayed in their entirety.
Major League Baseball
games normally only end in a tie if the match is called off due to weather conditions. In the early decades of baseball (up to the 1920s), a game could also be called off due to nightfall, but this ceased to be a problem once stadiums began installing lights in the 1930s.
games in some competitions are decided using overtime systems if scores are level at full time (80 minutes). One overtime system is golden point
, where any score (try
, penalty goal
, or field goal
) by a team immediately wins the game. This entails a five minute period of golden point time, after which the teams switch ends and a second five minute period begins. Depending on the game's status, a scoreless overtime period ends the game as a draw, otherwise play continues until a winner is found.
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination tournament
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
s where only one team or player per match can advance to the next round. In other sports, particular those prominently played in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
where draws are generally disfavored, some form of extra time is employed for all games.
The rules of overtime or extra time vary between sports and even different competitions. Some may employ "sudden death", where the first player or team who scores immediately wins the game. In others, play continues until a specified time has elapsed, and only then is the winner declared. If the contest remains tied after the extra session, depending on the rules, the match may immediately end as a draw, additional periods may be played, or a different tiebreaking procedure such as a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
may be used instead.
The term "overtime" is primarily used in North America, whereas "extra time" is used in other continents.
Association football
In professional football knock-outSingle-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
competitions, teams play an additional 30 minutes extra time where the deciding leg or replay of a tie has not produced a winner by the end of regulation or full time. Extra time is governed by the rules of the tournament, rather than the laws of the game. It follows a short break where players remain on or around the field of play and comprises two 15-minute periods, with teams changing ends in between. In a one-off tie or deciding replay, level scores nearly always go to extra time. Over two-legs, teams only play extra time in the second leg where the aggregate score – then normally followed by an away goals rule
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
– has not produced a winner first. The score in games or ties resorting to extra time are often recorded with the abbreviation a.e.t. (after extra time), usually accompanying the earlier score after regulation time.
Not all knock-out competitions always employ extra time. For example, ties in the English FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
used to be decided by as many replays until one produces a winner, although replays are now limited to just the one. Equally, CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
has historically never used extra time in any of the competitions it directly organises, such as the Copa Libertadores (today, it uses extra time only in the final match of a competition).
Ties that are still without a winner after extra time are usually decided by kicks from the penalty spot, commonly called a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
. In the late-1990s and early-2000s, many international matches tried to reduce this by employing the golden goal
Golden goal
The golden goal is a method used in association football, field hockey, ice hockey and korfball to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time. It is a type of sudden death. Golden goal rules allow the team that scores the first goal during...
(also called "sudden death") or silver goal rules (the game ending if a team has the lead after the first 15-minute period of extra time), but competitions have not retained these.
Professional
The NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
introduced overtime for any divisional tiebreak games beginning in 1940
1940 NFL season
The 1940 NFL season was the 21st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins in the NFL Championship Game, 73–0. This game still stands as the most one-sided victory in NFL history...
, and for championship games beginning in 1946
1946 NFL season
The 1946 NFL season was the 27th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Elmer Layden resigned as NFL Commissioner and Bert Bell, co-founder of the Philadelphia Eagles, replaced him...
. The first postseason game to be played under these rules was the 1958 championship match between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants (the so-called "Greatest Game Ever Played"). In 1974, the NFL adopted sudden death overtime for regular season games. If the score is tied after regulation time has concluded, an additional 15-minute period is played. The captains meet with the officials for a coin toss, and then one side kicks off to the other, as at the start of a game. The first team to score during the extra period wins the game. In the regular season, if the overtime period is completed without either side scoring, the game ends in a tie. Because there cannot be a tie in the playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
s, the teams switch ends of the field and start additional 15-minute overtime periods until one side scores. The longest NFL game played to date is 82 minutes, 40 seconds (and the Chiefs' last-ever game at Municipal Stadium), Miami kicker Garo Yepremian kicked the winning 37-yard field goal after 7:40 of double-overtime in the 1971–72 NFL playoffs. The longest in all of modern professional football is a 1984 United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
playoff game, also using the sudden death rule, in which the Los Angeles Express
Los Angeles Express
The Los Angeles Express was a team in the United States Football League based in Los Angeles, California. Playing at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Express competed in all three of the USFL seasons played, 1983-1985.-Pre-history:...
defeated the Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
27–21 in triple overtime.
As a consequence of the 1974 rule changes, the number of tie games dropped dramatically. Only 17 NFL games have ended in a tie since then, and just four since 1990. The most recent was in 2008 when the Philadelphia Eagles tied with the Cincinnati Bengals 13-13.
Scoreless ties were common in the early years of the NFL, but none have happened since 1943.
In March 2010, the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
amended its rules for postseason overtime after a vote by the team owners. If the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdown on their first possession, they are declared the winner. If they score a field goal on their first possession, however, the opposing team is given possession of the ball and an opportunity to score; if the score is tied again after that possession, sudden death rules apply and the next team to score by any method is declared the winner, and the number of additional 15 minute periods will not matter. If neither team scores there will be another overtime period to be played, and that procedure is repeated until a winner is declared. The rule change currently only applies to postseason games; regular season games will continue to use the existing sudden death rules.
The Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
and NFL Europa used a variant in which each team is guaranteed one possession. Whoever is leading after one possession wins the game; if the teams remain tied after one possession, the game goes to sudden death. This procedure was used by the United Football League in its inaugural 2009 season.
The short-lived World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
, for its inaugural 1974 season (the same year the NFL established sudden death in the regular season), used extra time (one full fifteen-minute quarter, divided into two halves).
The New York Pro Football League
New York Pro Football League
The New York Pro Football League was a professional American football league active in the 1910s and based in upstate New York, primarily Western New York. Between 1920 and 1921, the league's best teams were absorbed into the National Football League, though none survive in that league today...
, a 1910s-era league that eventually had several of its teams join the NFL, used the replay
Replay (sports)
In sports, a replay refers to a second game between two teams after the first game's results were either nullified or ended in a draw. A game may be nullified if the game's result is protested and the organizers ruled to replay the game...
to settle ties in its playoff tournament. The replay was used in the 1919 tournament to decide the championship between the Buffalo Prospects and the Rochester Jeffersons
Rochester Jeffersons
The Rochester Jeffersons from Rochester, New York played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1925.Formed as an amateur outfit by a rag-tag group of Rochester-area teenagers after the turn of the century , the team became known as the Jeffersons in reference to the locale of their playing...
had played to a tie on Thanksgiving; Buffalo won the replay 20–0 to win the championship.
College, high-school, and Canadian football
In collegeCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
(beginning with the 1996 season) and high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, as well as the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, an overtime procedure is used to determine the winner. This method is sometimes referred to as a "Kansas Playoff
Kansas State High School Activities Association
The Kansas State High School Activities Association is the organization which oversees interscholastic competition in the state of Kansas at the high school level. It oversees both athletic and non-athletic competition, and sponsors championships in several sports and activities.The KSHSAA was...
," or "Kansas Plan" because of its origins for high school football in that state. A brief summary of the rules:
- A coin toss determines which side shall attempt to score first, and at which end zone the scores shall be attempted.
- Each team in turn will receive one possession (similar to inningsInningsAn inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
in baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
), starting with first-and-10 from a fixed point on the opponent's side of the field:- In college football, the possession begins at the opponent's 25-yard line.
- In high school football, the ball begins at the 10-yard line, with the option for state high school associations to use different yardage (such as the 15, 20, or 25-yard line)
- In the CFL, where a single pointSingle (football)In Canadian football, a single is awarded when the ball is kicked into the end zone by any legal means, other than a successful field goal, and the receiving team does not return, or kick, the ball out of its end zone...
can be scored on a punt, the 35-yard line is used.
- The game clock does not run during overtime; the play clock, however, is enforced.
- A team's possession ends when it scores (touchdown or field goal), misses a field goal, fails to gain a first down on the final down, or loses the ball by turnover. As usual, a touchdownTouchdownA touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
by the offense is followed by a try for one or two points. In NCAA footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, starting in triple overtime, teams must "go for two" after a touchdown. Starting in 2010, CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
teams also may not kick for an extra point after any touchdownTouchdownA touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in overtime and must instead "go for two". - In college footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
the defense may score on a play on which it gains possession by turnover. In high school footballHigh school footballHigh school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, the defense is generally not allowed to score if it gains possession, although the Oregon School Activities AssociationOregon School Activities AssociationThe Oregon School Activities Association is a non-profit, board-governed organization that regulates high school athletics and competitive activities via athletic conferences in the U.S. state of Oregon, providing equitable competition among its members, both public and private...
adopted the college rule experimentally in 2005, and the University Interscholastic LeagueUniversity Interscholastic LeagueThe University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
of TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial SchoolsTexas Association of Private and Parochial SchoolsThe Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, or TAPPS, is an organization headquartered in Salado, Texas which creates rules for, and sometimes administers, almost all athletic and academic contests for non-public high schools in the American state of Texas...
, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic AssociationMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic AssociationThe Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , comprising 365 high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is an organization that sponsors activities in more than thirty sports. The MIAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules...
use NCAA football rules. - Each team receives one charged time-out per overtime procedure (except in the CFL).
- If the score remains tied at the end of the overtime procedure, an additional overtime procedure is played. The team with the second possession in one overtime procedure will have the first possession in the next overtime procedure.
- In the CFL there is a limit of two overtime procedures in regular-season games (after which the game is a tie), but no limit in playoff games. In American college and high school football, the overtime procedures are continued until a winner is determined.
On two occasions, just two plays were required to determine an overtime winner in an NCAA football game. These occurred on September 26, 2002, when Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
defeated Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
26–20, and September 27, 2003 when Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
defeated Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
24–17.
It is possible for a college game to end after a single play in overtime if the team on defense secures a turnover and returns it for a touchdown. (One example of a defensive touchdown ending the game occurred on September 9, 2005 when Ohio
Ohio Bobcats football
The Ohio Bobcats football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision level...
defeated Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
16–10 on an 85 yard interception return by Dion Byrum
Dion Byrum
Dion Byrum is an American football cornerback in the Arena Football League for the Orlando Predators....
; this occurred on the third play of overtime.) Furthermore, it is possible (but not likely) that the defense may get a safety on the first possession in overtime, thus ending the game after only one overtime play. Because this would require the offense to go backward 75 yards, this is extremely improbable and has never happened in FBS.
As of 2011, the Missouri Tigers
Missouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
have competed in the most overtime college football games, totalling 14.
XFL
The short-lived XFLXFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
used a modified Kansas Playoff, where the series would start on the 20-yard line and have four downs to score. However, if the first team to play overtime scored a touchdown in less than four downs, the second team would have to score in just as many plays (for instance, if the first team scored a touchdown on three downs, the second team would only have three downs to score a touchdown). Neither team could kick a field goal until the fourth down. Rather than a coin toss, the winner of the opening scramble at the beginning of the game also got to choose to go first or second in overtime.
Basketball
In basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, the teams play a five-minute overtime period. In levels below collegiate/Olympic play, an overtime period is half the length of a standard quarter, i.e., four minutes for high school varsity. FIBA 33
FIBA 33
FIBA 3x3 basketball is a formalized version of three-on-three basketball, a form of the game initially developed on inner-city asphalt outdoor courts in the United States. With over 250 million players worldwide and among the most played recreational sports in the world, 3x3 will become a key motor...
, a formalized version of the halfcourt three-on-three game, uses two-minute overtime periods. The alternating possession rule is used to start all overtime periods under international
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known as FIBA , from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball...
rules while a jump ball is used under high school
National Federation of State High School Associations
The National Federation of State High School Associations is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. Most high schools, whether public or private, belong to their state's high school association; in turn, each state association...
and NCAA
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
rules, with the arrow reset based on the results of the jump ball to start each overtime. The National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, which uses a quarter-possession rule to start periods after the opening jump, also uses a jump ball. The entire overtime period is played; there is no sudden-death provision. The only exception is in FIBA 33, in which the game ends by rule once either team has scored at least 33 points. All counts of personal fouls against players are carried over for the purpose of disqualifying players. If the score remains tied after an overtime period, an additional overtime period is played.
As many as six overtime periods have been necessary to determine a winner in a NBA game.
In exhibition games (non-competitive play), it is upon the discretion of the coaches and/or organizers if an overtime is to be played, especially if it is a non-tournament game (a one-off event).
Starting in the 2009–10 season, ULEB
ULEB
ULEB was founded in 1991, with the aim to help in the cooperation and development of European professional club basketball leagues...
, the organizer of the Euroleague and Eurocup, introduced a new rule for two-legged ties that eliminated overtime unless necessary to break a tie on aggregate. The rule was first used in the 2009–10 Eurocup
ULEB Eurocup 2009–10
Eurocup Basketball 2009-10 was the eighth edition of Europe's second-tier level transnational competition for men's professional basketball clubs. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Euroleague level...
quarterfinals (which consist of two-legged ties), although no game in that phase of the competition ended in a regulation draw. ULEB extended this rule to all two-legged ties in its competitions, including the Euroleague, in 2010–11. One game in the qualifying rounds
Euroleague 2010–11 qualifying rounds
This page describes the qualifying rounds for the Turkish Airlines Euroleague 2010–11.The qualifying rounds consisted of three rounds, played in home and away series.-Teams:Notes-Draw:The draw was made on Thursday, July 8 2010 at Barcelona, Spain...
of that season (the only phase of the Euroleague that uses two-legged ties), specifically the second leg of the third qualifying round tie between Spirou Charleroi
Spirou Charleroi
Spirou Charleroi, also known as Spirou Basket, is a Belgian professional basketball club that is located in Charleroi, Belgium. The club competes in the top Belgian League...
and ALBA Berlin
ALBA Berlin
-Depth Chart:* Denotes injured player.-Championships:*German Championships: 8 *German Cups: 6 *Korać Cups: 1 -Notable players:- Season by season :-External links:...
, ended in a draw after regulation. No overtime was played in that game because Spirou had won the first leg. Although other competitions use two-legged ties at various stages, the ULEB competitions are the only ones known to use overtime only if the aggregate score after the second game is tied.
Ice hockey
Ties are common in ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
due to the game's low-scoring nature. If the score is tied at the end of regulation play, certain leagues play overtime.
- NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(regular season): If a game is tied after regulation time (three 20-minute periods), the teams play in a sudden death five-minute overtime period, with a goaltender and four skaters per side (as opposed to the standard five). If nobody scores in the overtime period, the teams engage in a "penalty shootoutPenalty shootoutThe shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
" where 3 skaters, selected by the head coaches on the teams, go one-on-one against the opposing goaltender, taking the puck at center ice for a "penalty shot." If the shootout remains tied after the initial 3 rounds, the shootout continues in a sudden-death fashion. The greatest number of shooters in a single shootout was 30 during a game between the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
and Washington CapitalsWashington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. Rangers defensemen Marek MalikMarek MalikMarek Malík is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Vítkovice Steel of the Czech Extraliga. Malík played in the National Hockey League from 1998 to 2009. He is best known for a highlight reel shootout goal while with the New York Rangers.-Playing career:After...
gave New York a 3–2 shootout and game victory on a trick move.
The 5-minute overtime period was introduced for regular season games beginning with the 1983–84 NHL season, but with teams at full strength on the ice. Overtime in the regular season was reduced to four skaters a side starting in the 2000–2001 season. The "shootout" was introduced for the 2005–06 NHL regular season.
- NHL (post-season): Following an intermission, an additional full 20-minute period is played. Teams remain at full strength unless this is affected by penalties during the third period. A goal ends the game in sudden death; if neither team scores, another intermission is taken, followed by an additional overtime period. The teams change ends of the ice for each period. This has made for lengthy games in the history of the NHL playoffs, with some games going as far as five or six overtimes before the deciding goal is scored.
- NCAA (regular season): If a game is tied at the end of regulation, the teams play a sudden-death 5-minute overtime. Both teams play at full strength, unless affected by penalties. If neither team scores during overtime, the game ends in a tie.
- NCAA (in-season tournaments): For tournaments held during the season (such as the Beanpot and Great Lakes InvitationalGreat Lakes InvitationalThe Great Lakes Invitational is a four-team NCAA men's ice hockey tournament held annually at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit between Christmas and New Year as part of College Hockey at The Joe....
), in which advancement or determination of a champion is necessary, organizers have the option of either using the post-season overtime procedure or using the regular-season procedure followed by a penalty shootout. Statistics from a shootout are not counted by the NCAA, and a game decided by a shootout is considered a tie for NCAA tournament selection purposes. - NCAA (post-season): Same as the NHL overtime procedure above, except that all overtimes are played with the teams defending the same ends as for the third period. Games decided in overtime are considered wins or losses rather than ties, regardless of how many overtimes are played.
- International (round robin): As of the 2007 IIHF World Championships, the IIHF instituted the "three point rule", which not only awarded the winning team three points for a regulation win, but awarded them two points for a win in a 5 minute overtime period or a Game Winning Shot (shootout). Games in IIHF round robins can therefore no longer end in a tie. In the World Cup of Hockey in 2004, the NHL's tiebreaking procedure at the time was followed: there was a five-minute sudden death period at four skaters per side, and if the score remained tied after the overtime period, it stood as a tie. The game between Sweden and Finland ended in a 4–4 tie after 65 minutes.
- International (medal rounds): Various tiebreaking procedures have been used for international tournaments, with all of them save one (World Cup of Hockey 2004) following a common theme: one period varying in length of sudden-death overtime followed by a shootout of five skaters per side (as opposed to the NHL's three skaters per side). The length of the overtime period has varied between 5, 10, and 20 minutes, and 5-on-5 and 4-on-4 formats have been used. The most recent format used was at the 2010 Olympics (particularly in the gold medal game); there were 20 minutes of 4-on-4 followed by a shootout. In 2006, it was 20 minutes of 5-on-5. All men's games ended in regulation during the medal rounds, while the women's semifinal between the United States and Sweden required a shootout to determine the winner. At the World Cup of Hockey in 2004, the NHL's postseason tiebreaking procedure was used (multiple 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 until a goal is scored). The only overtime game in the playoff round was the semifinal between the Czech Republic and Canada. Canada won 4–3 with a goal 2 minutes and 16 seconds into the first overtime period.
Team handball
- When a tie needs to be broken in team handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, an overtime period of 2x5 minutes is played. If the teams are still tied after that, another overtime period of 2x5 minutes is played. - If the teams are still tied after the latter period, there takes place a penalty shootout.
Baseball and softball
BaseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
are unique among the popular North American team sports in that they do not use a game clock. However, if the regulation number of innings are complete (normally nine in baseball and seven in softball) and the score is even, the game continues for multiple extra innings
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
as are needed to determine a winner. The only exception to this is in Nippon Professional Baseball, where the game ends in a draw after 12 innings if the score is tied. Ties are allowed to stand in the regular season; postseason ties (which happen after 15 innings) must be replayed in their entirety.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
games normally only end in a tie if the match is called off due to weather conditions. In the early decades of baseball (up to the 1920s), a game could also be called off due to nightfall, but this ceased to be a problem once stadiums began installing lights in the 1930s.
Rugby league
Rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
games in some competitions are decided using overtime systems if scores are level at full time (80 minutes). One overtime system is golden point
Golden point
The golden point, a sudden death overtime system, is used to resolve drawn rugby league football matches. The term is borrowed from soccer's now defunct golden goal.-Australasia:...
, where any score (try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
, penalty goal
Penalty (rugby)
In rugby football, the penalty is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise players who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and may either kick it towards touch , attempt a place kick at goal, or...
, or field goal
Field goal (rugby)
A drop goal, also referred to as a dropped goal or field goal, is a method of scoring points in rugby union and rugby league. A drop goal cannot be scored in open play by punting the ball, and instead must be scored by drop kicking the ball over the crossbar and between the uprights. After the...
) by a team immediately wins the game. This entails a five minute period of golden point time, after which the teams switch ends and a second five minute period begins. Depending on the game's status, a scoreless overtime period ends the game as a draw, otherwise play continues until a winner is found.
Other sports
- In Australian rules footballAustralian rules footballAustralian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, extra time is played only in finals matches. Two extra time periods lasting five minutes each (plus time onTime on (Australian rules football)Time on in Australian Football League is the portion of each quarter allocated for extra play which could not occur due to time being stopped....
) are played. The only exception is the AFL Grand FinalAFL Grand FinalThe AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
, which is decided by a full replayGrand Final ReplayA Grand Final Replay is a method of deciding the winner of a competition when a Grand Final is drawn. It is commonly used in football codes, particularly in Australian rules football, and most notably in the Australian Football League, where it has been used three times, most recently in...
if the match is drawn; extra time is played if the replay is also drawn. - In Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and hurlingHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
, two halves of ten minutes are played after a draw. In major Gaelic football tournaments, extra time is only used if a replay finishes in a tie. - In field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
matches, extra time of 7½ minutes each way is played. - In water poloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, two overtime periods of three minutes each are played. - If a game of curlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
is tied at the end of its prescribed number of rounds (called ends), extra ends are played until there is a winner. - Ties are allowed to stand in most forms of cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, but Twenty20Twenty20Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
cricket provides for tiebreaker procedures should a winner be necessary (such as in tournament settings): a limited extra session called a Super OverSuper OverA Super Over, sometimes referred to as an "Eliminator", or an 'Oopse' ,is one of two extra overs in a Twenty20 cricket match when the regular match ends in a tie. Instead of equally dividing the points between the two participating teams, the winning team of the "Super Overs" takes all the points...
. Some One Day International tournaments (including the 2011 World Cup2011 Cricket World CupThe 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was the tenth Cricket World Cup. It was played in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. It was Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup...
) have also introduced the super over. - In netballNetballNetball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
matches, two seven minute periods are played with no break between periods. If the scores are still tied after this period, the match continues uninterrupted until one side is leading by two goals and are declared the winners. This is known as double overtime should a match end this way. All ANZ ChampionshipANZ ChampionshipThe ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...
matches, Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
finals and Netball World Championship finals implement this tiebreaker to ensure of a winner.
Baseball
- MLBMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
– American LeagueAmerican LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
– May 8, 1984: Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
beat the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
7–6 in 25 innings. The game took 8 hours and 6 minutes to decide. - MLB – National LeagueNational LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
– May 1, 1920: Game between the Brooklyn Robins and Boston BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
ended in a 1–1 tie after 26 innings. - Minor leagueMinor league baseballMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
– International League – April 18, 1981: In the longest professional baseball gameLongest professional baseball gameThe Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings, two teams from the Triple-A International League, played the longest game in professional baseball history. It lasted for 33 innings over eight hours and 25 minutes...
ever played, the Pawtucket Red SoxPawtucket Red SoxThe Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
defeated the Rochester Red WingsRochester Red WingsThe Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
3–2 in 33 innings. The game was suspended at the end of the 32nd inning at 4:09 AM local time and resumed one month later. The decisive 33rd inning took just 18 minutes to play. - CollegiateCollege baseballCollege baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
– May 30, 2009: The Texas LonghornsTexas Longhorns baseballThe Texas Longhorns baseball team represents The University of Texas at Austin and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.The Texas Longhorns are the winningest program in college baseball history in terms of win percentage with .740 and ranks second all-time in total wins to the...
defeated the Boston College EaglesBoston College Eagles baseballThe Boston College baseball team represents Boston College in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
3–2 in 25 innings in the AustinAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
regional of the 2009 NCAA Division I Baseball ChampionshipNCAA Division I Baseball ChampionshipThe NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the College World Series....
tournament.
Basketball
- NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
– January 6, 1951: The Indianapolis OlympiansIndianapolis OlympiansThe Indianapolis Olympians were a National Basketball Association team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. They were founded in 1949 and folded in 1953. Their home arena was the Hinkle Fieldhouse.-Franchise history:...
and the Rochester RoyalsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
played six overtimes, with Indianapolis winning 75–73 in a four-hour game. - CollegiateCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
(NCAA Division I) – December 21, 1981: CincinnatiCincinnati Bearcats men's basketballThe Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
edged BradleyBradley Braves men's basketballThe Bradley Braves men's basketball team represents Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2006, reaching the...
75–73, in seven overtimes. http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/basketball/m_basketball_records_book/2008/2008_m_basketball_records.pdf - Collegiate (NCAA Division II) – February 18, 1956: Black HillsBlack Hills State UniversityBlack Hills State University, South Dakota's third largest comprehensive public university, offering both undergraduate and graduate programs. The campus is located in Spearfish, South Dakota. Close to 5,000 students attend classes at the Spearfish campus, at sites in Rapid City, Pierre, Yankton,...
edged YanktonYankton CollegeYankton College was a small liberal arts college in Yankton, South Dakota, affiliated with the Congregational Christian Churches .Founded in 1881, it was the first institution of higher learning in the Dakota Territory...
(a college which no longer exists) 80–79 after seven extra periods. http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/basketball/m_basketball_records_book/2008/2008_m_basketball_records.pdf - Collegiate (NCAA Division III) – November 24, 2010: SkidmoreSkidmore CollegeSkidmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The college is located in the town of Saratoga Springs, New York State....
edged Southern VermontSouthern Vermont CollegeSouthern Vermont College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located on the former Edward Everett Estate near Bennington, Vermont in the southwestern corner of the state bordering New York and Massachusetts.-Overview:...
128–123, also in seven overtimes. http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2010/11/longest---game---ever
American football
- Five National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
playoff games have gone into a second overtime, the longest being an AFC divisional playoff game on December 25, 1971. The Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
defeated the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, 27–24 at 7:40 into the second overtime (at 82:40 of total play, the longest game in NFL history). The most recent 2OT NFL game came in an NFC divisional playoff game on January 10, 2004, with the Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
defeating the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
29–23 in the first play of the second overtime, on a long touchdown pass.
- In the former American Football LeagueAmerican Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
, the championship game played on December 23, 1962 went two overtimes, with the Dallas TexansKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
defeating the Houston Oilers 20–17, on a 25-yard field goal at 2:54 into the second overtime. (This game, along with all other AFL games, were incorporated into the NFL record books following the 1970 mergerAFL-NFL MergerThe AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
of the two leagues.)
- The former United States Football LeagueUnited States Football LeagueThe United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
had a triple-overtime playoff game on June 30, 1984. The Los Angeles Express defeated the Michigan PanthersMichigan PanthersThe Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
, 27–21, on a walk-off touchdown 3:33 into the third overtime (at 93:33 of total play, the longest professional football game ever played in the United States).
- CollegiateCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
(NCAA Division I FBS, formerly Division I-A) – The Arkansas RazorbacksArkansas Razorbacks footballThe Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
hold the record for the most longest overtimes college football games. On November 3, 2001, Arkansas beat the Mississippi (Ole Miss) RebelsOle Miss Rebels footballThe football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
58–56 in seven overtimes; the game had been tied 17–17 after four quarters. On November 1, 2003, Arkansas beat the Kentucky WildcatsKentucky Wildcats footballThe Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
71–63, also in seven overtimes; the score was tied 24–24 at the end of regulation play. Further in 2006 FIUFIU Golden Panthers footballThe FIU Golden Panthers football team represent Florida International University in Miami, Florida in the sport of college football. The FIU Panthers are a mid-major NCAA FBS college football team in the Sun Belt Conference led by Mario Cristobal and play at the on-campus FIU Stadium.-History:On...
and North Texas2006 North Texas Mean Green football team-Schedule:-Texas:-SMU:-Tulsa:-Akron:-Middle Tennessee:-Florida International:-Arkansas State:-Troy:-Louisiana Tech:-Louisiana-Lafayette:-Florida Atlantic:-Louisiana-Monroe:...
tied the seven overtime record.
- Collegiate (NCAA Division I FCS, formerly Division I-AA) – September 27, 1998: Bethune-Cookman University recorded a 63–57 victory over Virginia State UniversityVirginia State UniversityVirginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
, ending in the 8th overtime.
- The longest high school football game was on October 29, 2010 when Jacksonville High School (TX) defeated Nacogdoches High School (TX) by a score of 84-81 after 12 overtimes.
Ice hockey
- NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
– March 23, 1936: The Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
beat the Montreal MaroonsMontreal MaroonsThe Montreal Maroons was a professional men's ice hockey team in the National Hockey League . They played in the NHL from 1924 to 1938, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935...
1–0 in the 6th overtime and after a total of 116:30 minutes had been played in overtime. - CollegiateCollege hockeyCollege hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
(NCAA Division I, men's) – March 8, 1997: In a WCHAWestern Collegiate Hockey AssociationThe Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
men's quarterfinal, Colorado College defeated WisconsinWisconsin Badgers men's ice hockeyThe Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. The team plays at the Kohl Center and is coached by former Badger and NHL player Mike Eaves...
1–0 in the 4th overtime, after 129:30 minutes of play. Yale University @ Union College & Quinnipiac University @ Union College both extended 5 overtimes. - Collegiate (NCAA Division I, women's) – March 10, 1996: In the ECAC women's championship game, New HampshireNew Hampshire WildcatsThe New Hampshire Wildcats, or Cats, are the athletic teams of the University of New Hampshire. The wildcat is the school's official mascot, the colors are UNH Blue and white...
defeated ProvidenceProvidence FriarsThe Providence Friars is the name of the athletic teams of Providence College. They compete in the Big East Conference for every sport except for ice hockey, where they compete in Hockey East and in women's volleyball, where they compete in the America East Conference...
3–2 in the 5th overtime, after 145:35 minutes of play.
Lacrosse
- CollegiateCollege lacrosseCollege lacrosse refers to lacrosse played by student athletes at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In both countries, men's field lacrosse and women's lacrosse are played in both the varsity and club levels...
(NCAA Division I, men's) – March 28, 2009: The Virginia CavaliersVirginia Cavaliers men's lacrosseThe Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse team represents the University of Virginia in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
team played in the longest game in the history of NCAA Division I lacrosse—a 10–9 victory over the Maryland Terrapins in seven overtime periods.
See also
- TiebreakerTiebreakerIn games and sports, a tiebreaker or tiebreak is used to determine a winner from among players or teams that are tied at the end of a contest, or a set of contests.-In matches:In some situations, the tiebreaker may consist of another round of play...
- Green-white-checker finishGreen-white-checker finishThe green-white-checker finish is a rule implemented into many levels of automobile racing in the United States. When the race would otherwise end during a yellow-flag caution condition , this rule gives the field an attempt to finish the race under a green-flag, racing condition...
, the procedure used in American auto racingAuto racingAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
to add extra laps when the last lap ends in a yellow flag ("caution") condition. - Replay (sports)Replay (sports)In sports, a replay refers to a second game between two teams after the first game's results were either nullified or ended in a draw. A game may be nullified if the game's result is protested and the organizers ruled to replay the game...
, a procedure in some sports to resolve a tied game in which a game is played from the beginning, with the original match discarded.