Even though football games have quarters ranging from 8 minutes to 15, totaling a maximum game length of 60 minutes, NFL games last almost 3 hours, and college games even longer. Why is that? Even youth football lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes sometimes. Find out why in this article.
NFL games are 15 minutes a quarter but are usually, on average, above 3 hours in length. College football is longer at about 3 hours and 24 minutes because they have different overtime rules and feature a longer halftime interval than the NFL. High school games are 12 minutes a quarter and last about 2 hours, while youth is 8 minutes a quarter with a game lasting about an hour.
| Skill Level | Quarters | Average Time |
| NFL | 15 minutes | 3 hours 12 minutes |
| College | 15 minutes | 3 hours 24minutes |
| High School | 12 minutes | 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes |
| Youth | 8 minutes | 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes |
Football Game Overview
Quarters
Football games are broken up into quarters no matter the league in which an individual plays. Teams swop sides following the first and third quarters. There are additional 2-minute breaks when the teams swop positions on the field. The length of each quarter will vary depending on the league involved.
Halftime
Halftime is the interval between the second and third quarters allowing the players to rest and strategize with the coach trying to formulate new plays and work out better strategies. The halftime length is usually around 12 minutes for the NFL; however, for major events like the Superbowl, halftime can go on for much longer, going up to half an hour (30 minutes) to allow for performances like the halftime show. For other leagues, the halftime interval will vary.
Timeouts
A team uses timeouts to halt play, and this allows for both coaches of opposite teams to communicate and strategize with players. By using timeouts, a team can capitalize on a strategy or hinder the other team from a strategic play. They are also used to stop the game clock and inspire morale. In football, teams are usually given three timeouts per half, totaling six timeouts per game. Timeouts can not be carried over from one half to the next. In addition to this, football timeouts are the same length, so coaches don’t use longer or shorter timeouts for an advantage.
2 Minute Warning
2-minute warning only occurs in the NFL and not college or high school football. The 2-minute warning acts as a timeout but does not count towards any of the team’s six total timeouts. When the game clock hits 2 minutes, the clock will stop unless there is a play already running. If a play is running, then the clock will stop at the next stoppage in play. A 2-minute warning only occurs at the end of the second and fourth quarters of a football game.
Overtime
If a game is tied at the end of all four quarters, an additional interval of overtime will be played. The overtime duration lasts 10 minutes. Prior to 2017, overtime lasted 15 minutes. A coin toss is used to determine which team will take possession of the ball first. Whichever team scores either by a touchdown or safety, that team wins, and the game is over. If a team scores a field goal, the opposite team has a chance to possess the ball as well, and the game is not over. That team can win with a touchdown or tie with a field goal resulting in sudden death or loss if they do not score.
During regular seasons in the NFL, only one overtime period is played, and if the score is still tied after the overtime interval, then the game results in a tie.
How Long Do NFL Football Games Take
A typical NFL game lasts just over 3 hours because of how the game-clock works. There are four 15 minute intervals totaling up to 60 minutes; however, the clock stops for numerous reasons, including the ball going out of bounds, when an incomplete pass is thrown, fouls being committed resulting in penalties, and timeouts being used.
In addition to this, breaks in play while the clock is stopped will give the NFL the opportunity to go to commercial breaks, which adds additional time to the game.
Halftime is 12 minutes, but Superbowl halftime shows can go up to 30 minutes. Timeouts last 2 minutes each, and each team has six totaling 24 minutes if they are all used. You also have to take into consideration the game introduction where both teams come out onto the field, and they sing the national anthem.
How Long Do College Football Games Take
College football games actually last longer than professional NFL games. The games run an average of 3 hours and 24 minutes, while NFL games range from 3 hours to 3 hours and 12 minutes. The rules are the same except that the clock stops after a team gets a first down and a longer game takes place even though they use the same 60-minute regulation clock as the NFL. There are two main factors to why this occurs at the College level.
Firstly College football has a much more extended overtime period. The NFL in the regular season, as we said, has one overtime period of 10 minutes and can end once a team scores a touchdown. College football allows both teams to have possession of the ball and has reached as many as seven overtime intervals on numerous occasions. The other reason is that College football has a halftime length of 20 minutes when compared to the NFL’s 12-minute halftime.
How Long Do High School Football Games Take
High school football games are divided into four quarters that last 12 minutes each. However, a typical game can last 2 hours or even longer. Halftime for high school football is 20 minutes, which is the same as College football.
The rules are the same (even timeouts) for high school football when compared to college and the NFL; however, all personal penalties do not result in an automatic first down like they do in college or the NFL.
In high school, the offensive clock is set to 25 seconds, while in College and NFL, it is set to 40 seconds. Due to the rules being the same, the clock is stopped for multiple reasons during gameplay, and therefore the games can go on for extended periods of time.
How Long Do Youth Football Games Take
Youth league football games are divided into four quarters of 8 minutes, and timeouts are restricted to two 1-minute timeouts per half with no carryovers. Due to these subtractions in time, the youth league (tackle football) is much shorter than other football leagues, and the games range between 1 hour and 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Halftime in youth football is 10 minutes, much shorter than high school, college, and the NFL. The extended time can be factored in due to the game clock being stopped. The clock is stopped due to incomplete passes, out of bounds, penalties, just as in the other football leagues. Some rules, however, are different because you have to remember kids are involved. Going over the rules for tackle football is beyond this article’s scope.
What to Expect During a Football Game?
Football games, just like any other sport, can comprise of many facets and features depending on the league and match you are watching. For the Superbowl, the halftime show will feature bands, artists, dance routines, cheerleaders all going to the extreme trying to entertain and draw viewership.
For the most part, all leagues will sell concessions, but these will be limited depending on the league. For example, at an NFL game, you can purchase beers, jerseys, hats, flags, and banners, and the same goes for college football games.
However, high school football and youth will be limited to juice and other non-alcoholic beverages. College and high school football also have a marching band that plays at halftime, which includes cheerleaders from each team.
One thing to note is that football is sometimes considered a way of life in some states. Fans, parents, cousins, girlfriends, and just about everyone will take their loyalty to their team very seriously, so the atmosphere at live games will be jam-packed with excitement and electricity.
What is the Longest Football Game Ever Played?
Hosted in 1971 by the Kansas City Chiefs. It was an AFC Divisional playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and the Chiefs. Miami claimed victory in the second overtime period, and the game was played without interruption and lasted 82 minutes and 40 seconds.
Final Thoughts
Football is a tactical game of skill, patience, strategy, will power, strength, determination, and heart no matter what level players play at (from youth to the NFL). Utilizing any strategy and advantage a team can get, the game can and does take quite a while to finish. Even at the youth level, a game can take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes, which is a long time when compared to another major sport in the USA like basketball, where the youth games only last for about 45 minutes.
Football has been grown into a tradition that features amazing halftime shows with cheerleaders, marching bands, and mascots. It is so large that millions upon millions of people tune in to watch the Superbowl halftime show at the professional level.
No matter what level players play at, you will always find die-hard fans who support their team to the very end, making this game always a game to watch.