It isn't hard to learn how to play football. The main objective in football is to score points. There are four ways to score: touchdown, extra point attempt, field goal and safety. A touchdown is made when one team enters the other team's end zone. A touchdown is worth six points.
After a touchdown, a team is allowed an extra point attempt. The extra point comes only and after a touchdown is scored. It is worth one point. To score this point, a kicker must kick the football through the goal posts. A team can go for two points after a touchdown, but it must get the ball into the end zone.
If a team fails to score a touchdown but is within a certain distance of the goal posts, the field goal kicker is called upon to kick the ball. If he kicks the ball between the goal posts, it is worth three points. A safety is worth two points and happens when a team's offensive unit is tackled in their own end zone.
The Offense
Teams maneuver the ball down field by the use of "plays." Plays consist of running and passing. Running plays are where the quarterback hands off to a running back. The running back runs as far as he can before getting tackled by the opposing team. Offensive linemen block for the running back and are a key to his success. Passing plays are when the quarterback throws the ball to one of his different receivers. Receivers run "patterns" or "routes" and try to get open so the quarterback can throw it to them. The series of plays that result in a touchdown is called a "drive" and can last as few as one play or as many as 15 or more.
Each play takes place during a "down." Team on offense receives 4 fresh downs each time it moves the ball ten yards or more. If an offensive unit fails to gain the yardage for a new set of downs, depending on where it is on the field, it has the option to "punt" the ball which gives the other team possession. A punt is the act of kicking the ball down the field into the opposing team's territory.
The Defense
When a team is on defense, its main goal is to stop the offensive team from moving the ball. There are several ways of stopping a team from moving the ball down field. A defense can stop a team from moving ten yards and forcing it to punt, or the defense can take the ball away either by causing a "fumble," stripping of the ball from the carrier or by intercepting a pass from the quarterback.
Strategy
Most teams' strategies rely solely on that team's strength. For example, if a team has a world class running back, then it main focus will be moving the ball via the running game. If a team has an incredible quarterback/receiver tandem then the main focus will be on the passing game. The best teams, however, have a balanced attack. They also have the best athletes with great football skills that consist of running, throwing, catching, tackling and blocking. Also, being the size of a regular hulk doesn't hurt.
 | Football rules remain pretty consistent, even as the level of play differs wildly. |
 | Flag football rules make it possible to play football without flattening the opposition. |
 | Australian rules football, which resembles sports as diverse as rugby and volleyball, is the idiosyncratic sport of Australia. |
Australian football is very different from American football, including the fact that it's played on an oval field. |
The BCS standings can seem as secretive and bizarre as the election of the Pope. Luckily, they are not quite that bad. |
