How To Read A Football Scoreboard

How to Read a Football game Scoreboard

At a live game, the scoreboard will assistance you lot understand the activity. Below, nosotros have tried to explicate the basic components of a football scoreboard.

(Photo courtesy of Everbrite.)

Score: Indicates the score of the game. The home team's score will usually say the name of the squad (east.g. Cougars) or, every bit pictured above, "Home." The visiting squad's score will be under "Invitee" or "Away." In the photograph above, the dwelling squad is leading 7 to 0.

Game clock: Counts down the time left in the quarter. In the photograph in a higher place, at that place are fourteen minutes and 29 seconds left in the quarter.

Play clock: Non pictured. Counts down the time the offense has to run the next play. The clock starts once the previous play has ended. This clock is usually placed in several locations away from the scoreboard and then that the quarterback can run across it hands from either side of the field.

Quarter: Identifies the electric current quarter (1-4) of the game. In the photo above, the game is in the beginning quarter.

Ball on: The imaginary line, known as the line of scrimmage, where the adjacent play will begin. In the photo above, the ball is on the 37 yard line.

Down: Will exist 1-4 and indicates the number of tries out of 4 the squad has used to attain a "first down" or score points. In the photo to a higher place, the squad is on the first of iv downs.

To get: (or Yards To Go): The number of yards required to achieve a first down. If the sign says "Goal" that means that the squad started 1st down closer than x yards away from the finish-zone and does non have an opportunity for another first downward; they must score within 4 downs. In the photo above, there are 10 yards to go to acheive a first down.

Possession: The team that has possession of the ball will commonly have a dot or an paradigm shaped like a football game next to their name. In the photo in a higher place, the abode squad has the ball because the football-shaped light is on the home side of the scoreboard.

Timeouts left (TOL or TO): Number of timeouts the team has left in the one-half. In the photo above, each team has 3 timeouts left.

Below is another example of a scoreboard, with an explaination of the action.

(Photo courtesy of Everbrite.)

In the instance above, the home squad is up 21 to 17 with 1:56 to go in the fourth quarter. The dwelling squad has the ball and it is second down with vii yards to go for a first down from the 39 1000 line. The home team has 2 timeouts and the visiting team has 1 remaining.

Non all scoreboards look the aforementioned. Below is one terminal example in a slightly different format:

(Photo courtesy of Everbrite.)

On this concluding scoreboard, the home team is winning 13 to 7 with 12 minutes and 28 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. In that location is no possesion indication, but the squad with the ball is on 3rd downwardly with five yards to go for a showtime downward.

Source: https://www.sportspectator.com/fancentral/football/scoreboard.html