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6 / TIMING AND OVERTIME
1. Games are played on a 40-minute continuous clock with two 20-minute halves. The clock
stops for timeouts or injuries only, though ofcials can stop the clock at their discretion for
injury, to stop a team from delaying or other unsportsmanlike conduct.
2. Halftime is ve minutes.
3. Each time the ball is spotted, a team has 30 seconds to snap the ball. Teams will receive one
warning before a delay-of-game penalty is enforced.
a. NOTE: USA Football recommends that ofcials should use discretion with younger ages
who may need more time to line up and get a play off.
4. Each team has one 30-second timeout per half.
5. In the event of an injury, the clock will stop then restart when the injured player is removed
from the eld of play and both teams are lined up ready to restart the play.
6. In playoff games only, if the score is tied at the end of 40 minutes, an overtime period will be
used to determine a winner. The overtime format is as follows:
a. A coin ip will determine the team that chooses to be on offense or defense rst.
i. If a second round of overtime must be played, the team that lost the coin toss will
get to choose offense or defense for the start of the second round of overtime. This
process continues with teams alternating who gets to choose to be on offense or
defense to start out during every round of overtime.
ii. The referee will determine which end of the eld the overtime will take place on.
b. Each team will take turns getting one play from the defense’s 5-yard line for one point or
the defense’s 10-yard line for two points. Whether to go for one or two points is up to the
offensive team. Whether or not the team that begins on offense converts, the team that
started on defense gets a chance on offense to win or tie by converting a one- or two-
point play of its own.
i. Example: Team A starts on offense and chooses to go for one point from the 5-yard
line and is successful. Team B is then on offense and can choose to either go for one
point from the ve-yard line to tie and force a second round of overtime or to go for
two points from the 10-yard line for the win.
ii. If the second team on offense in an overtime round fails to beat or match the team
that went rst, the team that went rst wins.
c. All regulation period rules and penalties are in effect
d. There are no timeouts in overtime.