# Football Q: interception on extra point **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 19, 2008, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602 "2008-10-19T02:57:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/1 "2008-10-19T02:57:50Z")
My roommate and I were having a discussion while watching football today, and have a question. Figured I would post it here since it is about a sport. What would happen if after scoring a touchdown, during the extra point attempt, if the defense were to intercept the ball? ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/2 "2008-10-19T03:07:56Z")
They could run it back for 2 points (like a safety) in college and it’s blown dead in the NFL. Cite: [If a two-point conversion is intercepted can it be ran back for a touchdown? - Answers](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/If_a_two-point_conversion_is_intercepted_can_it_be_ran_back_for_a_touchdown) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/3 "2008-10-19T03:27:33Z")
I actually saw this happen when Lou Holtz brought Notre Dame here to Austin a decade ago. On a missed extra point, Notre Dame ran the ball back 100 yards, and got 2 points out of it. In the NFL, a blocked extra point is just a blocked extra point- you don’t get any points for returning the blocked extra point all the way, though you would if you returned a blocked field goal all the way. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/4 "2008-10-19T03:47:26Z")
This just happened today in the Texas Tech/Texas A & M game today. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/5 "2008-10-19T03:55:05Z")
It’s technically possible for a college team to score one point in a game. This is because a safety on an extra point attempt is worth 1 point. Say Team A scores a touchdown and goes for an extra point. The attempt is blocked/intercepted, and Team B runs it back ALMOST all the way to the other goal line. Team B fumbles the ball around the 3 yard line. A player on Team A picks the ball up, but decides to get fancy and backtracks into the end zone in an attempt to find a running lane. He gets tackled in the end zone. Team B scores 1 point. I’m not sure if this has ever happened. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/6 "2008-10-19T04:02:29Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > It’s technically possible for a college team to score one point in a game. This is because a safety on an extra point attempt is worth 1 point. > > Say Team A scores a touchdown and goes for an extra point. The attempt is blocked/intercepted, and Team B runs it back ALMOST all the way to the other goal line. Team B fumbles the ball around the 3 yard line. A player on Team A picks the ball up, but decides to get fancy and backtracks into the end zone in an attempt to find a running lane. He gets tackled in the end zone. Team B scores 1 point. > > I’m not sure if this has ever happened. According to Wikipedia, this has never happened. > **[Safety (gridiron football score)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_(football_score))** > > In gridiron football, a safety (American football) or safety touch (Canadian football) is a scoring play that results in two points being awarded to the scoring team. Safeties can be scored in a number of ways, such as when a ball carrier is tackled in his own end zone or when a foul is committed by the offense in its own end zone. After a safety is scored in American football, the ball is kicked off to the team that scored the safety from the 20-yard line; in Canadian football, the scoring tea... ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/7 "2008-10-19T04:11:56Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > It’s technically possible for a college team to score one point in a game. This is because a safety on an extra point attempt is worth 1 point. > > Say Team A scores a touchdown and goes for an extra point. The attempt is blocked/intercepted, and Team B runs it back ALMOST all the way to the other goal line. Team B fumbles the ball around the 3 yard line. A player on Team A picks the ball up, but decides to get fancy and backtracks into the end zone in an attempt to find a running lane. He gets tackled in the end zone. Team B scores 1 point. > > I’m not sure if this has ever happened. I didn’t even know that was possible. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/8 "2008-10-19T05:03:28Z")
> [@dgrdfd](#): > > I didn’t even know that was possible. Thanks. It could also happen if an extra point attempt was blocked out the back of the (other) endzone. Obviously, that’s almost phsically impossible, unless the kicking team had at least three personal fouls assessed against it between scoring and attempting the extra point… ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/9 "2008-10-19T05:30:52Z")
…and there’s a gale blowing in that direction. I think the NFL should implement the college rule, frankly. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/10 "2008-10-19T05:42:31Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > …and there’s a gale blowing in that direction. I think the NFL should implement the college rule, frankly. That too. I don’t think it matters that much. I can’t find an actual statistic, but I’m willing to bet there are fewer than 3-4 conversions which could be returned for TDs per year. ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/11 "2008-10-20T18:08:47Z")
> [@dgrdfd](#): > > …it’s blown dead in the NFL. This is true and I saw it just recently, but that seems premature to me. What if the interceptor fumbled the ball and it was picked up by the kicking team and run to the endzone? Would that not be 2 points scored for the kicking team? It seems to me that the officials should wait for the play to conclude before blowing it dead. Of course, the defending team should immediately go down or out of bounds rather than try to run it back. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/12 "2008-10-20T18:12:37Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > This is true and I saw it just recently, but that seems premature to me. What if the interceptor fumbled the ball and it was picked up by the kicking team and run to the endzone? Would that not be 2 points scored for the kicking team? It seems to me that the officials should wait for the play to conclude before blowing it dead. Of course, the defending team should immediately go down or out of bounds rather than try to run it back. If it’s a dead ball, it’s a dead ball. There’s no opportunity for the intecepting team to advance the ball; if you let the play continue, you’re effectively penalizing the team that makes the pick, since nothing good can happen for them and nothing bad can happen for the other team. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/13 "2008-10-20T18:13:46Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > It’s technically possible for a college team to score one point in a game. This is because a safety on an extra point attempt is worth 1 point. I’d always maintained 4 to 4 was the most improbable score possible in a game. Perhaps I spoke too soon. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/14 "2008-10-20T18:43:49Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > It seems to me that the officials should wait for the play to conclude before blowing it dead. They have no choice. **By rule** , the ball on an NFL extra point is dead when the defense gains possession, or after a kick is unsuccessful. Note the ramifications on a blocked kick–the kicking team can’t recover it and run it across the line, as they can in college. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/15 "2008-10-20T19:02:11Z")
So, would that make 4-1 the Most Unlikely Football Score Ever? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/16 "2008-10-20T19:10:07Z")
> [@Wargamer](#): > > So, would that make 4-1 the Most Unlikely Football Score Ever? Nah. 1,000,000 to 1,000,001 is less likely. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/17 "2008-10-20T19:10:31Z")
> [@Wargamer](#): > > So, would that make 4-1 the Most Unlikely Football Score Ever? No, that would be the most impossible score ever. You can’t get 1 point on a safety unless the other team has scored a TD and is going for the extra point. ---
**Author:** ![Drygon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@Drygon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drygon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/18 "2008-10-20T19:15:45Z")
> [@Wargamer](#): > > So, would that make 4-1 the Most Unlikely Football Score Ever? 4-1 is not unlikely, it’s impossible. The only way for a safety to be scored on an extra point attempt (or a 2 point conversion) is for a team to have scored a touchdown. Thus, 6-1 would be the Most Unlikely Football Score Ever. Of course the 3-2 Auburn v Mississippi State score would have to have an honorable mention in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/19 "2008-10-20T19:27:29Z")
if it’s not a hijack…may I ask a question about extra points: Why the hell do they exist? In any sport, scoring (whether counted in points,runs,laps,goals,etc) is supposed to be fun and exciting-- not a boring afterthought. The point-after-touchdown is just dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602/20 "2008-10-20T19:34:53Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > if it’s not a hijack…may I ask a question about extra points: > Why the hell do they exist? > > In any sport, scoring (whether counted in points,runs,laps,goals,etc) is supposed to be fun and exciting-- not a boring afterthought. > The point-after-touchdown is just dumb. It’s a carryover from rugby, whence came the great sport of (American) football. In modern rugby, though, the conversion attempt (which is worth two points) must be taken level with where the try was scored, meaning you may have to kick it from the sideline - so they aren’t as automatic. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q-interception-on-extra-point/468602.md?page=2)