[h=1]Worst gambling 'bad beats' of the weekend[/h]Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson of ESPN Stats & Information revisits the worst bad beats from the weekend's gambling action.
Note: Closing lines are courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and pick percentages are via Wunderdog sports.
[h=2]Friday[/h]Connecticut Huskies at BYU Cougars Closing line: BYU -14.5
With this game kicking off Friday after 10 p.m. on the East Coast, bettors were able to get in some late-night action before the full slate of games Saturday. You had to stay up to the very end of this one to believe the final score.
Connecticut -- playing as more than a two-touchdown underdog -- was making a bid to pull the outright win as it led 10-7 late in the third quarter. A BYU field goal tied the score heading into the fourth. But still, if you had the Huskies plus-14.5, you had to be feeling pretty good ... right?
That good feeling was in limbo when BYU scored 10 quick points in the first three minutes of the final quarter to go up 20-10. Then UConn's Bobby Puyolconnected on a 42-yard field goal with less than nine minutes left, bringing a sigh of relief to those folks who took the Huskies. It wasn't over though, as Connecticut's unsuccessful onside kick attempt gave BYU a short field. Six plays later, Tanner Mangum hooked up with Mitch Mathews for a Cougars touchdown to put them up 14. On the Huskies' ensuing drive, quarterback Bryant Shirreffswas picked off on fourth down and Connecticut backers were now a BYU score away from misery.
Unfortunately for the 31 percent who bet the Huskies, that potential misery became a reality when the final points of the game came of the foot of BYU'sTrevor Samson, whose 32-yard field goal with 26 seconds left gave the Cougars a 17-point win.
Final score: BYU 30, Connecticut 13 (BYU covers)
[h=2]Saturday[/h]Nebraska Cornhuskers at Illinois Fighting Illini Closing line: Nebraska -3.5
The fact that Nebraska -- playing as a 3.5-point favorite -- led 13-0 entering the fourth quarter doesn't even begin to tell the story of this bad beat. The 62 percent of bettors who took the Cornhuskers and die-hard Nebraska fans throughout the country will remember this game by one play, one decision.
With the clock ticking down and less than a minute to go, Nebraska was up 13-7 and faced a third down at the Illinois 27-yard line. Because the Fighting Illini were out of timeouts, a Nebraska running play would have milked almost all of the clock. But then the unthinkable happened. On a play that Cornhuskers coach Mike Riley later said was supposed to be a quarterback run, Tommy Armstrong threw the ball. It bears repeating that Illinois had no timeouts. None. Zero. Armstrong's throw fell incomplete, as did his pass on fourth down, and Illinois had life. Wes Lunt proceeded to lead the Illini on a six-play, 72-yard drive that was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown pass to Geronimo Allison with 10 seconds left. Taylor Zalewski's extra point gave Illinois the one-point win.
After the game, Riley echoed the thoughts of those who bet Nebraska: "I don't ever remember losing a game like this."
Final score: Illinois 14, Nebraska 13 (Illinois covers)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Clemson Tigers Closing line: Clemson -3
Through three quarters, it was all Clemson as the Tigers led 21-3 and were easily covering the three-point spread. But a fourth-quarter rally by Notre Dame made things interesting, and eventually infuriating for the 43 percent of folks who bet Clemson.
Just 47 seconds into the final quarter, Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer connected with C.J. Prosise for a 56-yard touchdown that brought the Fighting Irish within 12 after a failed two-point conversion. After a Clemson field goal, Kizer led the Irish on another scoring drive, capped off by his 3-yard touchdown run. With just over nine minutes to play, Notre Dame now trailed 24-16. That score held until the final seconds, when Kizer found Torii Hunter Jr. in the end zone to bring the Irish within two. It was the third touchdown drive that Clemson allowed in the fourth quarter, all of which took less than two minutes.
Now all of a sudden, bettors who took Clemson to cover needed Notre Dame to tie it with the two-point conversion. Overtime was their only hope. But for the first time in the fourth quarter, Clemson's defense stood tall, and stopped Kizer on the two-point play.
The 24-22 win for the Tigers wasn't enough to cover the spread, as they allowed more points (19) and yards (225) in the final 15 minutes than in the previous three quarters combined (three points, 212 yards).
Final score: Clemson 24, Notre Dame 22 (Notre Dame covers)
[h=2]Sunday[/h]Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints Closing line: Saints -3
For the second time this season, Dallas was involved in a Sunday night game that baffled bettors. Back in Week 1, the Cowboys and Giants played a wild game that had 24 combined points in the final 8:01, resulting in the total going over by half a point. This time the spread was affected, and not in favor of the 58 percent who took Dallas plus-3.
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</article>In a tightly contested game throughout, Drew Brees and the Saints had the ball with less than two minutes left. Brees led New Orleans down the field to set up a potential game-winning, 30-yard field goal. It appeared that bettors on both sides would settle for a push in what was the last chance for folks to either salvage or improve their day. But there would be no push, as Zach Hocker hit the upright and the game was now headed into overtime. For a moment, there was hope for those on the Cowboys to win their bet. That hope went away two plays into overtime, when Drew Brees hooked up with C.J. Spillerfor a walk-off 80-yard touchdown.
Final score: Saints 26, Cowboys 20 in OT (Saints cover)
Rob Nelson of ESPN Stats & Information revisits the worst bad beats from the weekend's gambling action.
Note: Closing lines are courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and pick percentages are via Wunderdog sports.
[h=2]Friday[/h]Connecticut Huskies at BYU Cougars Closing line: BYU -14.5
With this game kicking off Friday after 10 p.m. on the East Coast, bettors were able to get in some late-night action before the full slate of games Saturday. You had to stay up to the very end of this one to believe the final score.
Connecticut -- playing as more than a two-touchdown underdog -- was making a bid to pull the outright win as it led 10-7 late in the third quarter. A BYU field goal tied the score heading into the fourth. But still, if you had the Huskies plus-14.5, you had to be feeling pretty good ... right?
That good feeling was in limbo when BYU scored 10 quick points in the first three minutes of the final quarter to go up 20-10. Then UConn's Bobby Puyolconnected on a 42-yard field goal with less than nine minutes left, bringing a sigh of relief to those folks who took the Huskies. It wasn't over though, as Connecticut's unsuccessful onside kick attempt gave BYU a short field. Six plays later, Tanner Mangum hooked up with Mitch Mathews for a Cougars touchdown to put them up 14. On the Huskies' ensuing drive, quarterback Bryant Shirreffswas picked off on fourth down and Connecticut backers were now a BYU score away from misery.
Unfortunately for the 31 percent who bet the Huskies, that potential misery became a reality when the final points of the game came of the foot of BYU'sTrevor Samson, whose 32-yard field goal with 26 seconds left gave the Cougars a 17-point win.
Final score: BYU 30, Connecticut 13 (BYU covers)
[h=2]Saturday[/h]Nebraska Cornhuskers at Illinois Fighting Illini Closing line: Nebraska -3.5
The fact that Nebraska -- playing as a 3.5-point favorite -- led 13-0 entering the fourth quarter doesn't even begin to tell the story of this bad beat. The 62 percent of bettors who took the Cornhuskers and die-hard Nebraska fans throughout the country will remember this game by one play, one decision.
With the clock ticking down and less than a minute to go, Nebraska was up 13-7 and faced a third down at the Illinois 27-yard line. Because the Fighting Illini were out of timeouts, a Nebraska running play would have milked almost all of the clock. But then the unthinkable happened. On a play that Cornhuskers coach Mike Riley later said was supposed to be a quarterback run, Tommy Armstrong threw the ball. It bears repeating that Illinois had no timeouts. None. Zero. Armstrong's throw fell incomplete, as did his pass on fourth down, and Illinois had life. Wes Lunt proceeded to lead the Illini on a six-play, 72-yard drive that was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown pass to Geronimo Allison with 10 seconds left. Taylor Zalewski's extra point gave Illinois the one-point win.
After the game, Riley echoed the thoughts of those who bet Nebraska: "I don't ever remember losing a game like this."
Final score: Illinois 14, Nebraska 13 (Illinois covers)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Clemson Tigers Closing line: Clemson -3
Through three quarters, it was all Clemson as the Tigers led 21-3 and were easily covering the three-point spread. But a fourth-quarter rally by Notre Dame made things interesting, and eventually infuriating for the 43 percent of folks who bet Clemson.
Just 47 seconds into the final quarter, Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer connected with C.J. Prosise for a 56-yard touchdown that brought the Fighting Irish within 12 after a failed two-point conversion. After a Clemson field goal, Kizer led the Irish on another scoring drive, capped off by his 3-yard touchdown run. With just over nine minutes to play, Notre Dame now trailed 24-16. That score held until the final seconds, when Kizer found Torii Hunter Jr. in the end zone to bring the Irish within two. It was the third touchdown drive that Clemson allowed in the fourth quarter, all of which took less than two minutes.
Now all of a sudden, bettors who took Clemson to cover needed Notre Dame to tie it with the two-point conversion. Overtime was their only hope. But for the first time in the fourth quarter, Clemson's defense stood tall, and stopped Kizer on the two-point play.
The 24-22 win for the Tigers wasn't enough to cover the spread, as they allowed more points (19) and yards (225) in the final 15 minutes than in the previous three quarters combined (three points, 212 yards).
Final score: Clemson 24, Notre Dame 22 (Notre Dame covers)
[h=2]Sunday[/h]Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints Closing line: Saints -3
For the second time this season, Dallas was involved in a Sunday night game that baffled bettors. Back in Week 1, the Cowboys and Giants played a wild game that had 24 combined points in the final 8:01, resulting in the total going over by half a point. This time the spread was affected, and not in favor of the 58 percent who took Dallas plus-3.
<article class="ad-300" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; overflow: hidden; position: relative; z-index: 1000026; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; float: right; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px;">
</article>In a tightly contested game throughout, Drew Brees and the Saints had the ball with less than two minutes left. Brees led New Orleans down the field to set up a potential game-winning, 30-yard field goal. It appeared that bettors on both sides would settle for a push in what was the last chance for folks to either salvage or improve their day. But there would be no push, as Zach Hocker hit the upright and the game was now headed into overtime. For a moment, there was hope for those on the Cowboys to win their bet. That hope went away two plays into overtime, when Drew Brees hooked up with C.J. Spillerfor a walk-off 80-yard touchdown.
Final score: Saints 26, Cowboys 20 in OT (Saints cover)
