While similar in spirit, Canadian football and American football feature key differences. Among its many differences, Canadian football competes on a 110-yard field, allows 12 players per team and permits only three downs to make 10 yards. But perhaps Canadian football's most intriguing rule is the rouge, a single-point scoring play tied into the kicking game.
Identification
In Canadian football, each end zone measures 20 yards deep and 65 yards wide, making them much larger than the National Football League standard of 10 yards deep and 53 and 1/3 yards wide. The rouge puts this extra space to good use. A rouge occurs when one team kicks the ball into the other team's end zone and the receiving team fails to advance the ball back into the field of play. Officials award the kicking team one point for a rouge, while the receiving team then takes possession at its own 35-yard line.
Kickoffs
A rouge may only be scored on a kickoff if a member of the receiving team touches the ball. If the kickoff merely bounces through the end zone untouched, the receiving team assumes possession at its own 25-yard line. Teams may opt to field the kickoff in the end zone and take an intentional knee, yielding the one-point rouge in exchange for improved field possession, with the next play starting from the 35-yard line.
Punting
In American football, punting the ball into the end zone results in a touchback, with the ball placed on the receiving team's 20-yard line. However, thanks to the rouge, punting the ball into the end zone can earn a Canadian football team a point. The receiving team must advance the ball out of the end zone or surrender the rouge, adding excitement and strategy to an otherwise boring play.
Field Goals
For Canadian field goal kickers, even missed kicks can result in a point due to the rouge. The receiving team must place a player near the goal posts or risk having a missed kick land or roll into the end zone, scoring a single point for the opposition. The rouge thus adds excitement and an extra element of strategy, particularly when teams attempt field goals at the end of tied games.
Considerations
If the receiving team touches the ball in the field of play only to have it bounce into the end zone before recovering, the kicking team still scores a rouge. Likewise, if the receiving player catches the ball and has his momentum carry him into the end zone, he must advance the ball back into the playing field or risk surrendering the rouge.
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