Game Possessions

updated February 2, 2025

Football games are contested between two teams as a series of alternating possessions. There are several possession types, but one typically consists of a scrimmage play or series of plays in which the team in control of the football attempts to advance it in order to score while its opponent attempts to deny that effort. From 2007 to 2024, games between FBS opponents have averaged 26.1 total possessions per game.