Why don’t teams go for two after scoring a TD up one point?

[HailToPitt725]

I’m watching the Vandy/GT Birmingham Bowl and the Commodores were up 14-13 before scoring a TD. They kicked an extra point to make it an eight-point game.

Why don’t teams go for two in this situation? If you don’t convert, it’s still a one-touchdown game. However, getting the two points makes it a two-possession game. The math just doesn’t add up to kick the extra point:

• Extra point: One-possession game
• Failed 2pt: One-possession game
• Successful 2pt: Two-possession game

The common rebuttal I’ve heard is that the conversion rate is low enough where you’d rather force your opponent to attempt one. That still makes little sense to me, as I’d rather take my chances to go up an extra possession than give my opponent a chance to tie the game. Not to mention kicking the extra point and failing the 2pt attempt result in the same outcome.

 

[Burgh15]

It forces the opponent to make a 2-point conversion rather than tie it with an easy extra point.

 

[HailToPitt725]

It forces the opponent to make a 2-point conversion rather than tie it with an easy extra point.

But if the end result is them tying the game, isn’t it worth forcing the opponent to score twice?

 

[DruidTM]

You might see a lot more tight ends throwing passes to non receivers if this change were ever adopted

 

[303vND]

You might see a lot more tight ends throwing passes to non receivers if this change were ever adopted

LOL…WELL PLAYED!

 

[rpastir]

You might see a lot more tight ends throwing passes to non receivers if this change were ever adopted

Too soon 😐