Offensive safety
 

On page 89 of the NFHS football rule book, under Resolving Tied Games, it talks about: "If a safety is scored by the offensive team, the succeeding spot will the 10 yard line, etc." How can an offensive team score a safety???

This is why Team A/B is the proper terminology.

Team A could score a safety in one of a number of ways: change of possession where the ball becomes dead behind Team B's goal line, and Team B is charged with the impetus for it being there. Example -- interception caught by Team B at the Team B's 10 yard line, and the runner decides for whatever reason to run back toward his end zone. He's either tackled in the EZ or fumbles the ball back behind the line and out of bounds. Remember, though, that inside the 5 (I think in both codes) the exception is for momentum.

This would be extremely rare, but it has happened.

This DID happen in a game involving SMU back in the SWC days: kickoff to start the game, SMU kicks it right toward an upback for the receiving team; ball hits him square, then rebounds back toward the goal line of the kicking team. There's a mad chase for the ball and it ends up dead behind the goal line, but not in the receiving team's possession. Result: safety. Explain that one!

Except, in NFHS OT rules, the ball is dead once Team B has possession.

A better example would be a fumble on the 1, and B34 bats the ball across his goal line where B41 falls on it.

Yes, they can. As Altor wrote, a fumble on the 1, and B34 bats the ball across his goal line where B41 falls on it/ Safety, 2 points for Team A.

If Team B has not yet had their series, then it's 1st and goal from the 10 for Team B.

So in BKTballREf post: "Yes, they can. As Altor wrote, a fumble on the 1, and B34 bats the ball across his goal line where B41 falls on it/ Safety, 2 points for Team A.

If Team B has not yet had their series, then it's 1st and goal from the 10 for Team B."

Help me think this through.......to continue this example: Assuming this is the 1st "inning" in OT, after the safety we are saying the score is now A-2/ B-0 and now B gets their series? So, B scores a FG and they win 3 to 2? Why doesn't A get a chance to score more than 2 points...what am I missing here?

What would makes sense is that after the safety, A gets the ball again (just as if in regulation B would have to Kick Off to A from their own 20) to "re-start" their series at the 10 yard line but now leading 2-0.

A had their opportunity when they fumbled the ball. The 2 pts given to them by B for not gaining possession in the field of play is a bonus.

Its now their job to stop B from scoring any amount of points. A bit more pressure for sure but they had their chance to put up to 8 on the board and failed.

A shouldn't have fumbled the ball.

Just got to my rule book. You guys are right on...the next phrase of the rule says "If a safety is scored by the offense....succeeding spot will be the 10 yard line in possesion of the team that was on defense provided the defesnive team has not had its series of downs." (page 89 5-1-3)

The OP was an abbreviated version of 5-1-3 on page 89 of the NFHS rule book. The following is the entire interpretation and it specifically states after the safety, it will be B’s ball 1st & G of the 10.

5-1-3: If a safety is scored by the offensive team, the succeeding spot will be the 10-yard line in possession of the team that was on defense, provided the defensive team has not had its series of downs (the temporary overtime score is: Team A-2; Team B-0).

Sorry whitehat ... your post reply was not up when I started typing.

No problem Ump33...I edited it after I got to my rule book. Didn't want to cloud the issue with my thinking through it in print after I found the rest of the sentance on the rule...always good to work through situaitons in my mind, paint myself into a corner, and then find my way out. :p