Betting on College Football Basics

• College Football betting is a game of territory and strategy.
• 22 players are on the field at one time — 11 per team.
• An football game is made up of four 15-minute quarters, plus a 15-minute sudden-death overtime if the score is tied after regulation time.
• A 12-minute halftime falls between the second and third quarters.
• Each team is entitled to three time outs per half.

The Three "Teams" Within a Football Team
• Offense — controls the movement of the ball and attempts to score touchdowns (worth 6 points) by passing or running.
• Defense — attempts to stop the offense from scoring by tackling runners, deflecting passes, intercepting passes, or causing fumbles.
• Special Teams — a group of specialists who take the field during kicking situations: punts, field goals, extra points and kickoffs.

The Offense
• The offense attempts to score by passing or running the ball.

Positions:
• Quarterback — leader of the team, high profile, executes most plays.
• Center — lines up over the football, in the center of the offensive line; snaps the ball to the quarterback to begin each play.
• Guards — each offensive team has two guards who line up on either side of the center.
• Tackles — each offensive team has two tackles who line up outside the guards.
• Tight end — lines up just outside the tackle (close or tight).
• Wide Receivers — line up 10-15 yards wide of the offensive line; receive passes thrown by the quarterback.
• Running Backs — line up behind the quarterback in the backfield; run with the ball, block, and receive passes from the quarterback.

The Defense
• The defense attempts to prevent scoring opportunities by tackling offensive players short of a first down or causing the offense to lose control of the ball (called turnovers).

Positions:
• Defensive Tackle — lines up on the defensive line; responsible for stopping the offensive charge; either one or two defensive tackles play depending on defensive formation.
• Defensive Ends — line up on the defensive line; responsible for containing the outside running game and for rushing the quarterback; a successful rush of the quarterback results in a sack; two defensive ends play at all times (see definitions).
• Linebackers — line up 2-3 yards in back of the tackles and ends; responsible for stopping the run and also for covering receivers on passing plays; occasionally rush the quarterback (referred to as a blitz).
• Cornerbacks — line up opposite wide receivers; responsible for covering receivers and providing support in stopping the running game; typically two cornerbacks play depending on the defensive and offensive formations.
• Safeties — line up 8-10 yards from the line of scrimmage; responsible for providing support in pass coverage (essentially the safety net against a long gain of yardage by the offense); typically two safeties play depending on the defensive and offensive formations.

The Special Teams
• Special Teams are responsible for kicking a ball or returning a kicked ball from the other team, and are frequently labeled kicking teams, or receiving.
• Kickoffs — start the game; start the second half; start play after team scores.
• Field-Goal Attempt — an effort by the offensive special team to score 3 points by kicking the ball between the uprights.
• Punt — an exchange of possession in which the offensive team tries to pin the ball in the defensive team's end of the field.
• Kick Returns — after the kicking team attempts to catch it and advance as far as possible toward the opposite end zone

Downs and Scoring
• Downs are a series of offensive plays.
• The offense has four downs to move the ball 10 yards.
• Upon moving the ball 10 yards, the offensive team receives another set of downs.
• First Down — first try (first and 10 yards to go).
• Second Down — second try.
• Third Down — third try.
• Fourth Down — last and final try; with options (see below).
• Go For It — try to get the yardage necessary to attain a first down or a touchdown.
• Kick a Field Goal — attempt to score three points by kicking the ball between the uprights.
• Punt — kick the ball to the other team in hopes of keeping it as far away from your goal line as possible.

SCORING
Touchdown: six points
• Running the ball or completing a pass to a player who carries the ball into the opponent's end zone.
Extra Point: one or two points
• An effort to score points after a touchdown by either:
• A. Kicking the ball through the uprights (one point).
• B. Running or completing a pass to a player who carries the ball into the end zone from two yards away (two points due to difficulty).
• In either case, the offensive team gets only one opportunity to execute a point after a touchdown.
Field Goal: three points
• Field goals usually are attempted in 4th-down situations (last attempt or try in a series of downs).
• Special teams will attempt a field goal if it feels the kicker is close enough to the end zone to kick the ball through the uprights.
• A field-goal attempt must clear the crossbar and go between the uprights.
Safety: two points
• Safeties are the rarest of all the scoring opportunities. The defensive team is credited with two points if it tackles an offensive player in his own end zone.
• Don't confuse the term "safety" with the defensive position.