<Li> A "time count" (the same foul as "delay of game" in American football), which is a 5 - yard penalty (with the down repeated) at other points in the game, becomes a loss of down penalty on first or second down and a 10 - yard penalty on third down . Additionally, if the referee deems a time count violation on third down in the last three minutes of a half to be deliberate, he can require the offensive team to legally place the ball in play within the 20 - second count, with a violation resulting in loss of possession . </Li> <Li> If the clock hits 0: 00 between plays, Canadian teams are required to execute one final play, even if the ball has not yet been snapped . In the American game, if the clock hits 0: 00 between plays, the game is over unless the previous play ended in a defensive penalty, a score, or circumstances warranting various types of kicks . </Li> <P> These differences make for radically different endgames if the team with the lead has the ball . In the NFL, a team can run 120 seconds (2 minutes)--and slightly more in the NCAA--off the clock without gaining a first down (assuming that the defensive team is out of timeouts). In the Canadian game, just over 40 seconds can be run off . </P>

When does nfl clock stop for out of bounds