Defensive two-point conversion

Anyone have any idea when the rule was changed to allow fumbles or interceptions on two-point conversion attempts to be returned for points?

 

At what level?

 

It happened before the overtime rule was instituted so that'd would be early 90s at least.

EDIT: You mean in NCAA ball, right?

 

College.
It was in regulation.

 

I think it was sometime around 1991-92.

First time I saw it was in 1993 (everyone was so confused, they put 6 points on the scoreboard at first).

The defensive conversion is only legal in NCAA ball. NFHS & NFL rules do not allow it.

 

Google searching this reminded me:

Has there ever been a recorded case of the one-point safety on a conversion try?

 

i.e., when the offensive team fumbles/throws a pick, the defensive team tries to advance, and is downed in the end zone?

I was told by a ref once that on a conversion try, the scoring team can elect to give the opponent the ball at the conversion hashmark (i.e. their own 3 yard line), and if they can throw them back into the end zone (or return a fumble/turnover), they get 1 point.

 

Yes. And a google search confirms that it has happened, at least.

Or, alternatively, it is theoretically possible for the offensive team to be safetied on the conversion and one point would be awarded to the defense.

 

Which would mean it would be theoretically possible for a team to score 1 point in a football game.

I've seen some PAT tries go horribly wrong -- I remember one which ended up with the team trying the PAT falling on the ball at about midfield -- but never a 97-yard loss on a PAT attempt.

 

I first heard about the rule in 1988 or so.
A few years ago, somebody asked me why it isn't a touchdown if the defense recovers the ball on a conversion and returns it to the other end zone.
I can't believe I even had to explain it. The most the team attempting the conversion can score is two points, so the most that can be scored on the play is two points.
Makes sense to me.

 

According to page 166 of the 2009 West Virginia media guide, the decision to allow two points if the defense returns a two-point conversion for a touchdown was official in 1988.

 

You'd probably need something weird like three personal fouls, a holding call and a couple of false starts. And even then it'd have to be a hell of a flub.