How are USFL rules different from the NFL? Exploring regulations in Fox's league

The USFL is back for its 2023 season, and as always, there is a fair amount of hype surrounding the exciting spring football league. The United States Football League has long been seen as a quick fix for NFL, but both leagues have different rules.

So, in anticipation of this year's USFL action, let's look at how different the United States Football League rules are from the NFL.

How are USFL rules different from the NFL?

The United States Football League rules are different from the XFL in the following ways:

#1 - Overtime

Like in college football, the USFL has chased a 'shootout' should games go to overtime. It sounds like a clever tactic from the USFL that aims to create some viral moments to boost popularity.

If the franchises are tied after regulation time, they get alternate attempts at a two-point conversion from the two-yard line. Each franchise gets three tries, and it's scored as a best-of-three. It goes to sudden death if it's still a tie after both franchises have had three attempts.

#2 - Pass interference call

Defensive pass interference will be called somewhat differently by USFL referees than the NFL ones.

Firstly, if a defender in the USFL is judged to have purposefully interfered with a pass catcher after 15 yards of the scrimmage line, it is a spot foul, just like in the NFL.

However, in the United States Football League, if defensive pass interference is deemed unintentional, it will be a simple 15-yard penalty, regardless of where the infraction occurs.

#3 - The game clock

The USFL has a 35-second play clock, while the National Football League uses 40 seconds. This is done to increase the number of plays in a game, as teams would only be able to keep the ball for a short time.

Also, the United States Football League will pause the game clock after the first downs in the final two minutes of the first and second halves.

#4 - Reviews

Unlike the two that NFL coaches get, the United States Football League will give coaches just one challenge per game. However, the 'replay crew' will have the authority to overrule incorrect personal foul calls made on the Gridiron. The replay crew will also judge whether pass interference was intentional or otherwise.

#5 - The Two Forward Pass Rule

Like the XFL but unlike the NFL, the United States Football League has allowed franchises to throw the ball forward twice. The first pass must be completed behind the line of scrimmage, and both passes must be thrown from behind the line of scrimmage too.

#6 - Three Point Conversion

The USFL has another change in the 2023 season - the three-point conversion. What it essentially means is that a standard extra point is rewarded from the 15-yard line, a two-point conversion from the two and the three-point conversion attempt from the 10. This is quite opposite to the NFL where there is PAT (Points After Touchdown) from the 20-yard line or a two-point conversion from the two.

#7 - Kickoff

In an attempt to increase the return rate to 90 percent, as per Mike Pereira, the USFL will move the kickoffs from the 25-yard line in the previous season to the 20-yard line for this season. While in the NFL, the kickoffs happen from the 35-yard line and a safety kick takes place from the 20-yard line. This is the difference with the National Football League.