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Maryland girls' flag football rules (MPSSAA)

Maryland plays NFHS rules with its own state choices. The field is 80 yards between goal lines and 40 yards wide. Halftime is 10 minutes. A lead of 28 or more in the 2nd half starts a running clock. In overtime, each team gets the ball at the 10.

If your team plays in Maryland, these are the choices your games use.

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What MPSSAA chose

FieldNFHS Table 1-7 #1

NFHS field 1: 80 yards between the goal lines, 40 wide.

MPSSAA item 1NFHS diagrams #1

Flag beltsNFHS Table 1-7 #11

2 flags, one on each hip, are fine for 2026. A 3-flag belt is required from 2027.

MPSSAA item 11

Hash marksNFHS Table 1-7 #13

No state rule. Officials follow NFHS, so every snap comes from the middle of the field.

MPSSAA item 14NFHS 4-1-2

PuntingNFHS option, MPSSAA list #13

No state rule needed. Punts follow the NFHS kicking rules.

MPSSAA item 13

Field goals and kicked triesNFHS Table 1-7 #20

None. No goal posts, no tee, no field goals and no kicked tries. Punts follow NFHS.

MPSSAA items 5, 7, 13, 21

Coin tossNFHS Table 1-7 #18

No state rule. The NFHS rule applies: 3 minutes before the start.

MPSSAA item 19NFHS 3-2-1

HalftimeNFHS Table 1-7 #17

10 minutes. Both teams may agree to cut it to 5 at the pregame meeting with officials.

MPSSAA item 18

OvertimeNFHS Table 1-7 #14

Each team gets the ball at the 10, with 4 downs to score. After a touchdown, try from the 3 for 1 point or the 10 for 2. The defense may run back an interception or fumble for a touchdown. The visitor calls the toss. 1 timeout per period. Earlier timeouts don't carry over.

MPSSAA item 15

Mercy ruleNFHS Table 1-7 #15

A lead of 28 or more in the 2nd half starts a running clock. It stops only for injuries, timeouts and period ends. It also stops for a score that cuts the lead below 28.

MPSSAA item 16

The NFHS rules underneath

Every state starts from the NFHS book. The core, in our words, with the rule number. More on high school rules

Field and players

Players on the field

7 to start. Players may get hurt or thrown out with no one left to sub in. Only then may a team play short. Never below 5.

NFHS 1-1-3NFHS changes 1-1-3

Possession

Downs and first downs

4 downs to get to the line to gain. It is the first 20- or 40-yard line ahead of the ball, set when the series starts. Near the goal, the goal line is the target.

NFHS 5-1-1; 5-3-1; 2-21-4

Scoring

Touchdown and extra point

Touchdown: 6. On the try, you pick 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. Field goals (3) and kicked tries (1) count only where the state allows them. Then the other team starts at its 14. A team still behind may keep the ball instead. It gets 4th down at its own 20.

NFHS 8-1; 8-3-1, 8-3-3, 8-3-9; 8-4-1

Plays

Flag guarding

Using the hands, arms or ball to stop a flag pull. It only counts if there is contact. Penalty: 10 yards. You keep the down.

NFHS 9-2-2b, c; Penalty summary; 10-1-6; Points of Emphasis

Clock and game

Game length and clock

Four quarters of 12 minutes, with a 1-minute break after the 1st and 3rd. Each state sets halftime between 5 and 20 minutes. You get 25 seconds to snap. Each team has 3 timeouts per half, 1 minute each, and loses any it doesn't use. Until the 2-minute mark of each half, an incomplete pass or a runner going out keeps the clock running.

NFHS 3-1-1, 3-1-6, Table 3-1; 3-4-4f, g; 3-5-1; 3-6-1

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A completed pass, logged in seconds.

Questions.

For 2026, 2 flags are legal, one on each hip. From 2027, a 3-flag belt is required.

Related rules

Official rulebooks

Sources cited on this page

  1. NFHS Flag Football Rules Book (NFHS, 2026-27)
  2. NFHS 2026-27 Flag Football Rules Changes (NFHS changes, Final, May 2026)
  3. MPSSAA Girls' Flag State Association Adoptions (MPSSAA, 2026-27)
  4. NFHS 2026-27 Flag Football Field Diagrams (NFHS diagrams, 2026-27)

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