Tom Higgins
CFL.ca
Can a game end on a penalty? It is both true and false.
Let’s find out what the rule book has to say. Our answer can be found in RULE 8 – APPLICATION OF PENALTIES, Section 7 – Fouls which occur on the last play of a quarter. (Page 60)
If in any period time expires during a play in which a foul occurs the non-offending team may:
(a) accept the penalty, in which case the team entitled to possession shall be required to put the ball into play or,
(b) decline the penalty and accept the play as it terminated to end the period or,
(c) elect to have the penalty applied on the first play of the following period, if the foul was a Major Foul.
The answer to our question:
If the non-offending team chooses to decline the penalty the game is over. However, if they accept the penalty, they get one final play even if no time remains on the score clock.
On the second to last play in the Grey Cup, Montreal attempted a field goal with five seconds left in the game. On the play Montreal missed the field goal and Saskatchewan was penalized for thirteen men on the field.
If the field goal was good, Montreal would have declined the penalty thus ending the game with a penalty on the field. However, since Montreal missed the field goal, they accepted the ten yard penalty and were given the opportunity to kick another field goal. The second field goal attempt was good and Montreal won the game.
