Scoring · touchdown, field goal, try and safety
American football scoring: touchdown, field goal, extra point and safety
A practical guide to the common NFL and NCAA scoring system: six for a touchdown, three for a field goal, one or two on the try, and two for a safety.
Touchdown — 6 points
A touchdown is worth 6 points. It is scored when a player carries the ball across the opponent’s goal line or completes a legal catch in the opponent’s end zone. A touchdown is followed by a try for additional points.
Field goal — 3 points
A successful field goal is worth 3 points. The kick must pass over the crossbar and between the uprights. Teams often attempt a field goal when they are within kicking range and do not want to risk losing the ball on downs.
Try after a touchdown — 1 or 2 points
After a touchdown, the scoring team receives a try. A successful kick is worth 1 point and a successful offensive play into the end zone is worth 2 points. NFL and NCAA placement and procedure are not identical, so ODDSNEX keeps those competition details separate.
Safety — 2 points
A safety awards 2 points to the opponent when the rules make the team in possession responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone. The team that conceded the safety then puts the ball back into play by a free kick; exact enforcement can vary by competition.