Spring football is filled with quirks. The rules are altered to intrigue casual viewers. One UFL rule sounded incredible, until the Louisville Kings failed to execute, forcing the league to make a quick change.
Overtime rules vary at every level of football. In the NFL, they simply play an extra period. If nobody scores, the game ends in a tie. At the college level, each team starts at the 25-yard line and gets a chance to score. The longer the game extends, the more it changes, eventually resulting in a 2-point-play off in the third overtime.
The two-point conversion rule is a bastardized form of football. It feels like an incredibly unjust way to decide a tightly-contested, important college football game. In the UFL, the stakes don’t feel as high, allowing them to take part of that rule and apply it differently. Last Saturday, we saw it unfold for the first time.
The Louisville Kings scored late, and rather than go for the win, kicked a one-point PAT to tie the game. When Orlando’s two-minute drive failed, the game went to overtime.
In the UFL, overtime is a two-point shootout. Each team gets three chances to score from the 5-yard line. Whoever converts the most wins the game. Some things sound better on paper than they look once it hits the field.
Neither team did anything with their first attempt. Things got exciting on the Kings’ second try. Quarterback Jason Bean bought some time. As he scrambled, the coverage broke down, leaving former Kentucky Wildcat Benny Snell wide open in the end zone. The Kings’ quarterback shoveled him the football, and Benny skied high for the grab, but came down with one foot on the line.
On the ensuing possessions, Louisville was flagged for a holding. The opponent got a closer look at a score, but couldn’t convert. Neither team was able to score in the third, extending the UFL two-point shootout to a fourth try. When former Louisville QB Jack Plummer threw a pass to the end zone, the Kings were flagged once again. Instead of getting the ball closer to the end zone, the game ended in a walk-off penalty.
WHAT?!?!? A walk-off PENALTY?!?!? This is preposterous!
The idea of the rule makes sense. If a defense plays overly aggressively, the game will never end, but boy, a walk-off penalty is worse than a never-ending game. That’s why the UFL changed its rules before the Kings took the field Thursday night. “We heard you loud and clear,” said Dean Blandino. Moving forward, a second defensive penalty will move the ball up to the 1/2-yard line. If the game continues and they commit another, it’s up to the 1/4 yard-line.
UFL games can no longer be decided by a penalty. A dumb rule has been changed, hopefully in time for the Kings to get the franchise’s first-ever win. They’ve got a lead over Houston right now on the NFL Network.
UPDATE: The Kings Won in Overtime
Less than a week after the Kings forced a rule change to overtime, another game dragged into overtime, thanks to a late missed field goal by Houston. This time, the Kings made the play to get their first-ever win in the UFL. After scoring on their second try, Houston heaved one short of the goal line. The pass was completed, but the Houston receiver stepped out of bounds short of the end zone. Kings win!