Have you ever wanted to know what the “T in College Football Lines” means?
The T in College Football Lines stands for touchdown. However, this should not be mistaken for “Tiki torch” as the T can also stand for turnover.
A typical football game boasts a touchdown, interception, and rush for a loss. Essentially, a touchdown is what you would generally call a “successful play” in soccer. However, not all touchdowns result in a successful play. Certain players may rush for a loss, which does not result in a touchdown but it does earn that player a loss for their team.
Why is it important to know the meanings of the different letters in football? It might be important to know that there are 22 letters in the English alphabet, 19 in the French alphabet, and 12 in the Spanish alphabet. It is also important to know the differences in the meaning of each letter in each language because some words may be pronounced differently than you would expect, simply by adjusting their spelling.
With that in mind, here is a quick guide to tell you what each of the letters in College Football mean. There are also some common words that you may know or recognize which are spelt with letters that are associated with certain teams or coaches – so you may want to keep that in mind as well.
A
The letter “A” in football stands for “Ace.” An ace is a hand, typically used to play poker. In the case of American Football, an ace is any player that can score a touchdown on any play. This may be accomplished by rushing for a long touchdown, by passing for a long touchdown, or by kicking a field goal.
As you may assume, the higher the number of aces that a team has, the better their chances of winning. This applies especially to those games where scoring is relative. For instance, in a college football game between North Carolina and Vanderbilt, a touchdown by any means is worth four points. A field goal is worth three points, and an interception or a fumble are worth two points. So, in the event of a tie, the team with the most aces wins.
B
The letter “B” in football stands for “Basket.” A basket is a term used when referring to the ball carrier in rugby. It is similar to the football word “back.” Just as you cannot have a backache in football, you cannot have a basket pain either. However, if a player is carrying the ball, it is typically referred to as a “basket”. It is imperative to note that the term “basket” is only applied when the ball carrier is in possession of the ball. Otherwise, the person is simply referred to as “the player” or “that player.”
Similarly, in the event of a fumble, the player who loses the ball is the “basket” and can be referred to as such. However, when another player becomes the “basket” by stripping the ball away, it is typically referred to as a “sack.” A “sack” in American Football is a very destructive play, lowering the value of the ball carrier and often resulting in a disqualification of the team. If the ball bounces out of the player’s hands, it is a turnover and the team that recovers the ball is usually awarded possession.
C
The letter “C” in football stands for “Cannon.” A cannon, as you may assume, is a gun. However, in the case of American Football, it is the offensive player who advances the ball toward the opponent’s goal line by throwing the ball – it is generally not shot by the defensive player. So, in a way, the offence uses the gun to “shoot” at the goal line.
Just as with aces, the higher the number of cannons a team has, the better their chances of winning. In fact, in the event of a touchdown, a defensive player may “cannon” the ball to prevent scoring – leading to a safety.
D
The letter “D” in football stands for “Defense.” This may seem obvious, yet it is worth noting that there is more than one kind of defense. For example, a team may defend by preventing the opponent from scoring, by preventing the opponent from taking the ball away, or by simply keeping the opponent from gaining more than ten yards in any given play. Additionally, some teams only put a small amount of emphasis on defense while other teams rely on it heavily.
A team’s offense drives their opponents’ defense mad. So much so that sometimes teams ‘cannon’ the ball just to prevent themselves from scoring. This type of play may lead to injuries and make the ball less valuable. Defensive players may also get tired of the constant attacks and opt to “sack” the ball carrier or strip the ball away.
E
The letter “E” in football stands for “Eclipse.” Just like with a solar eclipse, the ball may be in the air for just a moment before a touchdown is scored. In the case of American Football, this is known as a “touchdown moment,” when the entire field stops and focuses on the play. Just as the sun can be temporarily “eclipsed” by the moon, a touchdown may be temporarily “obscured” by a defensive player or the ball.
F
The letter “F” in football stands for “Fight.” In American Football, a fight is typically associated with two players who start shoving and hitting each other before anyone can jump in to break up the fight. However, it can also be a very competitive game where players are trying to impress the coaching staff by showing that they can be among the top fighters in the sport. A fight is rarely a good sign for a football player. It may result in disqualification or injury depending on how serious the fight is.
G
The letter “G” in football stands for “Gain.” A gain, in the context of American Football, is any yardage that the ball carrier accumulates beyond the initial line of scrimmage. In the case of a pass, it is the receiving player who does the “gaining.” For instance, if the quarterback throws the ball away from the line of scrimmage, it is a loss of one yard. After the initial down, each subsequent pass and reception is considered a separate gain. So, in the event of a three-yard gain, it is considered a first down, seven yards is a second down, and so on.
Just as with other offensive plays, the more gains a team makes, the better their chances of winning. However, defensive players may “gain” as well. For instance, if a running back keeps the ball for a gain, it prevents the opposing team from scoring as the extra yardage gives the defense a chance to return an interception for a touchdown. Or, if a safety is able to catch the ball and run with it for a gain, it prevents the opposing team from scoring as well.
H
The letter “H” in football stands for “Horse.” Just as in the case of a horse race, the faster that a player can dash down the field, the better their chances of scoring. In American Football, this is typically accomplished by gaining a lot of yards on the ground, rather than by throwing the ball. In the event of a touchdown, every yard after the initial ten is typically credited to the quarterback. So, in the event of a 200-yard touchdown dash, the quarterback would get 20 of the 200 yards.
As you may assume, the more horses a team has, the better their chances of scoring. It is also worth noting that some horses are fast and some are not. In the event that a 150-pound horse loses a footrace to a 100-pound horse, the 150-pound horse loses even though they may have covered the same distance as the 100-pound horse due to the extra footfall. This scenario illustrates the idea that some horses are simply faster than others. This makes it important to look at the individual speeds of the horses rather than simply compare them based on a weight class.