Weekend's worst bad beats
Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson of ESPN Stats & Information revisits the worst bad beats from the weekend's gambling action.
Friday
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Line: Over/under 56
Bettors who took the under had to feel good entering the fourth quarter of this contest. Western Kentucky was leading 10-3 in a game that hadn't seen a touchdown since the opening quarter. Unfortunately for them, there would indeed be plenty of touchdowns down the stretch -- and then some.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Middle Tennessee's Brent Stockstill hooked up with Patrick Smith for a 21-yard touchdown to tie the game at 10. That started a scoring frenzy which saw both teams combine for 35 points in the final quarter. Much to the chagrin of those on the under, the game went to overtime, level at 24.
After Middle Tennessee took a 31-24 lead on its offensive possession, the 55 combined points were still just under the total. However, four plays later, Western Kentucky matched the Blue Raiders with a Mike White-to-Nacarius Fant touchdown that sent the total over. The Hilltoppers would go on to win 41-38 in triple-overtime, with the 66 points scored after the third quarter marking the second-highest total in any FBS game this season.
Final score: Western Kentucky 41, Middle Tennessee 38 -- 3OT (game goes over)
Saturday
Delaware State Hornets at Florida State Seminoles
Line: Florida State -52
No college football team has been worse against the spread this season than Florida State, which entered this past weekend with a 0-9 ATS record. It looked like the Seminoles were going to easily cover the massive spread against an overmatched Delaware State until both teams agreed to shorten the third and fourth quarters to 10 minutes apiece.
So while Florida State cruised to a 77-6 win, the game was determined as a "no contest" in the betting world since games aren't official until 55 minutes are played. It wasn't a loss for those who laid the 52 points, but it wasn't a win either. Now at 0-9-1 ATS this season, the Seminoles are in danger of becoming just the second FBS team in 25 seasons to go winless against the number.
Final score: Florida State 77, Delaware State 6 (No contest)
LSU Tigers at Tennessee Volunteers
Line: Over/under 42
The weather conditions, specifically heavy winds, contributed to this game's low over/under of 42. It certainly looked like those bettors on the over were going to breeze to a win as LSU led 30-10 late in the third quarter. Needing just three more points to be scored, Tennessee reached the LSU 7-yard line before eventually turning it over on downs.
The Tigers proceeded to go on a drive that killed over nine minutes off the clock and were set up for a 25-yard field goal. However, kicker Connor Culp missed the chip shot and the score remained at 30-10. The Volunteers reached LSU territory on their final possession but, once again, turned the ball over on downs. LSU took the knee to end the game, capping off a 17:06 scoring drought.
Final score: LSU 30, Tennessee 10 (game goes under)
Sunday
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns
Line: Jaguars -7
Betting on the Browns continues to be an unprofitable strategy. Last week, bettors suffered a bad beat on Cleveland to cover against the Lions. This week, still more people were asking themselves why they thought they could bet on the Browns and win.
With less than two minutes left, the Jaguars led 13-7 and those on Cleveland +7 were seconds away from winning their bet. Then, for the third time in three possessions, DeShone Kizer turned the ball over, this time fumbling it away on a sack that resulted in a Telvin Smith touchdown. That score gave Jacksonville a 19-7 lead, which would stand as the final score after a backdoor cover attempt by the Browns came up short.
Cleveland is now 2-8 against the spread and 0-10 straight up this season.
Final score: Jaguars 19, Browns 7 (Jaguars cover)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins
Line: Over/under 44
It looked like nothing could top the bad beat in Cleveland, until the ending of this game happened.
With three minutes left, Matt Moore connected with Kenny Stills on a 61-yard touchdown to tie the game at 20. At that point, those on the under were hoping for a field goal to make it a 23-20 final. That scenario looked as though it had played out perfectly, as Patrick Murray's 35-yard field goal with four seconds left indeed put Tampa Bay up by three.
There was only time for a Miami kickoff return, but it would turn out to be a costly one for bettors. The Dolphins played the lateral game but kept moving backwards until Adarius Glanton recovered a fumble in the end zone for the Buccaneers to send the total over with zeroes on the clock. Top that, Cleveland!
Final score: Buccaneers 30, Dolphins 20 (game goes over)
Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson of ESPN Stats & Information revisits the worst bad beats from the weekend's gambling action.
Friday
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Line: Over/under 56
Bettors who took the under had to feel good entering the fourth quarter of this contest. Western Kentucky was leading 10-3 in a game that hadn't seen a touchdown since the opening quarter. Unfortunately for them, there would indeed be plenty of touchdowns down the stretch -- and then some.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Middle Tennessee's Brent Stockstill hooked up with Patrick Smith for a 21-yard touchdown to tie the game at 10. That started a scoring frenzy which saw both teams combine for 35 points in the final quarter. Much to the chagrin of those on the under, the game went to overtime, level at 24.
After Middle Tennessee took a 31-24 lead on its offensive possession, the 55 combined points were still just under the total. However, four plays later, Western Kentucky matched the Blue Raiders with a Mike White-to-Nacarius Fant touchdown that sent the total over. The Hilltoppers would go on to win 41-38 in triple-overtime, with the 66 points scored after the third quarter marking the second-highest total in any FBS game this season.
Final score: Western Kentucky 41, Middle Tennessee 38 -- 3OT (game goes over)
Saturday
Delaware State Hornets at Florida State Seminoles
Line: Florida State -52
No college football team has been worse against the spread this season than Florida State, which entered this past weekend with a 0-9 ATS record. It looked like the Seminoles were going to easily cover the massive spread against an overmatched Delaware State until both teams agreed to shorten the third and fourth quarters to 10 minutes apiece.
So while Florida State cruised to a 77-6 win, the game was determined as a "no contest" in the betting world since games aren't official until 55 minutes are played. It wasn't a loss for those who laid the 52 points, but it wasn't a win either. Now at 0-9-1 ATS this season, the Seminoles are in danger of becoming just the second FBS team in 25 seasons to go winless against the number.
Final score: Florida State 77, Delaware State 6 (No contest)
LSU Tigers at Tennessee Volunteers
Line: Over/under 42
The weather conditions, specifically heavy winds, contributed to this game's low over/under of 42. It certainly looked like those bettors on the over were going to breeze to a win as LSU led 30-10 late in the third quarter. Needing just three more points to be scored, Tennessee reached the LSU 7-yard line before eventually turning it over on downs.
The Tigers proceeded to go on a drive that killed over nine minutes off the clock and were set up for a 25-yard field goal. However, kicker Connor Culp missed the chip shot and the score remained at 30-10. The Volunteers reached LSU territory on their final possession but, once again, turned the ball over on downs. LSU took the knee to end the game, capping off a 17:06 scoring drought.
Final score: LSU 30, Tennessee 10 (game goes under)
Sunday
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns
Line: Jaguars -7
Betting on the Browns continues to be an unprofitable strategy. Last week, bettors suffered a bad beat on Cleveland to cover against the Lions. This week, still more people were asking themselves why they thought they could bet on the Browns and win.
With less than two minutes left, the Jaguars led 13-7 and those on Cleveland +7 were seconds away from winning their bet. Then, for the third time in three possessions, DeShone Kizer turned the ball over, this time fumbling it away on a sack that resulted in a Telvin Smith touchdown. That score gave Jacksonville a 19-7 lead, which would stand as the final score after a backdoor cover attempt by the Browns came up short.
Cleveland is now 2-8 against the spread and 0-10 straight up this season.
Final score: Jaguars 19, Browns 7 (Jaguars cover)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins
Line: Over/under 44
It looked like nothing could top the bad beat in Cleveland, until the ending of this game happened.
With three minutes left, Matt Moore connected with Kenny Stills on a 61-yard touchdown to tie the game at 20. At that point, those on the under were hoping for a field goal to make it a 23-20 final. That scenario looked as though it had played out perfectly, as Patrick Murray's 35-yard field goal with four seconds left indeed put Tampa Bay up by three.
There was only time for a Miami kickoff return, but it would turn out to be a costly one for bettors. The Dolphins played the lateral game but kept moving backwards until Adarius Glanton recovered a fumble in the end zone for the Buccaneers to send the total over with zeroes on the clock. Top that, Cleveland!
Final score: Buccaneers 30, Dolphins 20 (game goes over)
