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
New Mexico Lobos at San Diego State Aztecs
Line: San Diego State -20.5
Those who took New Mexico +20.5 would have been better off spending their money on Black Friday deals. It's tough to blame those who took the Lobos, who entered with some recent success in this situation, having gone 10-3 against the spread with six outright wins in their previous 13 games as a double-digit underdog. New Mexico trailed 21-10 with less than nine minutes left and had forced San Diego State to punt on its each of its previous three possessions, but the Aztecs proceeded to break it open with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Christian Chapman to Fred Trevillion to go up 28-10 with 8:03 left. San Diego State then got the ball back after picking off Lobos quarterback Tevaka Tuioti, and three plays later, a Juwan Washington 60-yard touchdown put the Aztecs up 35-10, clearing the 20.5-point cover. On its final drive, New Mexico drove to the San Diego State 29-yard line needing a touchdown to cover, but Tuioti threw another interception to seal the fate of those who took the Lobos.
Final score: San Diego State 35, New Mexico 10 (San Diego State covers)
Saturday
Florida Atlantic Owls at Charlotte 49ers
Line: Florida Atlantic -24.5
This wasn't the worst bad beat we've seen from Lane Kiffin's team this season, but it still wasn't fun for those who took Florida Atlantic.
With 10:23 left, Florida Atlantic led 31-12 and was starting a drive at its own 4-yard line. Needing a touchdown to cover, the Owls drove all the way down to the Charlotte one-yard line. After being held to no gain on consecutive plays, Kiffin elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal. But for the third straight play, Florida Atlantic was unable to reach the end zone, this time losing eight yards on a Jason Driskel rush and turning it over on downs with 2:20 left. That would be the last scoring threat for either team, with those who took the favorite coming up 5.5 points short of covering.
Final score: Florida Atlantic 31, Charlotte 12 (Charlotte covers)
BYU Cougars at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
Line: Over/under 47
It looked like the under would easily be the right side for those who had action in this game between two teams with a combined 6-17 record entering Saturday.
With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, BYU led 13-7; bettors who took the under just needed to avoid 28 more points. The Cougars would start to pull away and make things interesting for those who bet the over/under by scoring 17 of the next 23 points to lead 30-13 with 3:46 left. Five more points would send the total over, and with 1:48 left, Dru Brown's three-yard touchdown to Kumoku Noa made under-47 a losing bet. That last Hawai'i touchdown would make it 30 combined points in the final 16:39 between these teams, after only 20 points in first 43:21.
Final score: BYU 30, Hawai'i 20 (total goes over)
Sunday
Carolina Panthers at New York Jets
Line: Carolina -6
Of the 15 NFL games played on Thursday and Sunday this week, favorites covered in 12 of them. While Week 12 had its fair share of late scores allowed by the underdog (New York Giants +7, Cleveland Browns +7.5, Miami Dolphins +16.5, Tampa Bay Buccaneers +10, Indianapolis Colts +3), those on the Jets +6 suffered the worst bad beat of them all.
New York went up 20-18 early in the fourth quarter and would not allow another offensive touchdown by the Panthers. But in a 3:01 span, the Jets gave up both a 34-yard fumble return touchdown by Luke Kuechly and a 60-yard punt return score by Kaelin Clay, putting them down 32-20 with 9:54 left. The Jets would then respond with a three-yard touchdown catch by Jermaine Kearse to make it a five-point margin with 5:32 left. With those who took the underdog now covering, Carolina proceeded to kill more than five minutes off the clock, thanks in part to a roughing the passer penalty by Mike Pennel on third-and-11. Three plays after the penalty, the Panthers sent out Graham Gano to attempt a 45-yard field goal, which he nailed to put his team up 35-27 with 21 seconds left. The Jets lost by eight despite outgaining Carolina by 92 yards in the game.
Final score: Carolina 35, New York 27 (Carolina covers)
Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson of ESPN Stats & Information revisits the worst bad beats from the weekend's gambling action.
Friday
New Mexico Lobos at San Diego State Aztecs
Line: San Diego State -20.5
Those who took New Mexico +20.5 would have been better off spending their money on Black Friday deals. It's tough to blame those who took the Lobos, who entered with some recent success in this situation, having gone 10-3 against the spread with six outright wins in their previous 13 games as a double-digit underdog. New Mexico trailed 21-10 with less than nine minutes left and had forced San Diego State to punt on its each of its previous three possessions, but the Aztecs proceeded to break it open with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Christian Chapman to Fred Trevillion to go up 28-10 with 8:03 left. San Diego State then got the ball back after picking off Lobos quarterback Tevaka Tuioti, and three plays later, a Juwan Washington 60-yard touchdown put the Aztecs up 35-10, clearing the 20.5-point cover. On its final drive, New Mexico drove to the San Diego State 29-yard line needing a touchdown to cover, but Tuioti threw another interception to seal the fate of those who took the Lobos.
Final score: San Diego State 35, New Mexico 10 (San Diego State covers)
Saturday
Florida Atlantic Owls at Charlotte 49ers
Line: Florida Atlantic -24.5
This wasn't the worst bad beat we've seen from Lane Kiffin's team this season, but it still wasn't fun for those who took Florida Atlantic.
With 10:23 left, Florida Atlantic led 31-12 and was starting a drive at its own 4-yard line. Needing a touchdown to cover, the Owls drove all the way down to the Charlotte one-yard line. After being held to no gain on consecutive plays, Kiffin elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal. But for the third straight play, Florida Atlantic was unable to reach the end zone, this time losing eight yards on a Jason Driskel rush and turning it over on downs with 2:20 left. That would be the last scoring threat for either team, with those who took the favorite coming up 5.5 points short of covering.
Final score: Florida Atlantic 31, Charlotte 12 (Charlotte covers)
BYU Cougars at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
Line: Over/under 47
It looked like the under would easily be the right side for those who had action in this game between two teams with a combined 6-17 record entering Saturday.
With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, BYU led 13-7; bettors who took the under just needed to avoid 28 more points. The Cougars would start to pull away and make things interesting for those who bet the over/under by scoring 17 of the next 23 points to lead 30-13 with 3:46 left. Five more points would send the total over, and with 1:48 left, Dru Brown's three-yard touchdown to Kumoku Noa made under-47 a losing bet. That last Hawai'i touchdown would make it 30 combined points in the final 16:39 between these teams, after only 20 points in first 43:21.
Final score: BYU 30, Hawai'i 20 (total goes over)
Sunday
Carolina Panthers at New York Jets
Line: Carolina -6
Of the 15 NFL games played on Thursday and Sunday this week, favorites covered in 12 of them. While Week 12 had its fair share of late scores allowed by the underdog (New York Giants +7, Cleveland Browns +7.5, Miami Dolphins +16.5, Tampa Bay Buccaneers +10, Indianapolis Colts +3), those on the Jets +6 suffered the worst bad beat of them all.
New York went up 20-18 early in the fourth quarter and would not allow another offensive touchdown by the Panthers. But in a 3:01 span, the Jets gave up both a 34-yard fumble return touchdown by Luke Kuechly and a 60-yard punt return score by Kaelin Clay, putting them down 32-20 with 9:54 left. The Jets would then respond with a three-yard touchdown catch by Jermaine Kearse to make it a five-point margin with 5:32 left. With those who took the underdog now covering, Carolina proceeded to kill more than five minutes off the clock, thanks in part to a roughing the passer penalty by Mike Pennel on third-and-11. Three plays after the penalty, the Panthers sent out Graham Gano to attempt a 45-yard field goal, which he nailed to put his team up 35-27 with 21 seconds left. The Jets lost by eight despite outgaining Carolina by 92 yards in the game.
Final score: Carolina 35, New York 27 (Carolina covers)
