The Loop

The Texas A&M-LSU travesty and the rest of the worst bad beats from Thanksgiving weekend

November 26, 2018

Thanksgiving week is a football fan's dream, with games kicking off seemingly every hour starting on Thursday and not stopping until Sunday night. By the time the Monday night game rolls around you've gained at least five pounds, probably haven't showered or shaved, and you definitely haven't realized it's Monday yet.

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Unfortunately, for the degenerate gamblers who spent the four-day stretch betting on every game instead of interacting with your family, Thanksgiving week can also put a dent in your wallet. At first, betting on the Lions at 11 a.m., winning that losing money back on Dallas at 4 p.m. and repeating this process with different games Friday, Saturday and Sunday seems fun, until you have to cancel Christmas because you won't be able to afford presents. As long as you're not betting over you're head, this shouldn't be the case, but with the amount of bad beats that occurred over the weekend, let's just say that Christmas bonus can't get in your bank account soon enough.

LSU @ Texas A&M (-3)

We begin with the absolutely ridiculous game that was LSU vs. Texas A&M on Saturday night. If you had the Aggies -3, or even -2.5, you were lucky to even be in the mix after quarterback Kellen Mond appeared to throw the game-ending interception with LSU up 31-24 late in the fourth quarter. But the call was overturned, which gave A&M another shot on 4th & 18 with 15 seconds to go. The Aggies miraculously converted to get to LSU's 41 with 10 seconds to go, then miraculously connected on a 22-yard completion to the LSU 19, then miraculously got to the line, spiked the ball as the clock expired, but miraculously got another call overturned on review, and the refs put one more second on the clock. Then, MIRACULOUSLY, this happened:

On to overtime we went, giving the Aggies a chance to miraculously somehow cover the 3-point spread with a touchdown and a stop, or get a push with a field goal, or win with a field goal for 2.5-point bettors. Chaos, as many of you are well aware, ensued:

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Live look at -3 or -2.5 bettors:

Final score: 74-72, Texas A&M

Texas (-15) @ Kansas

With 4:44 remaining and Texas leading by 17, this bet was hingeing on whether or not Kansas could slip in the backdoor and score a TD on what could very well have been the Jayhawks' final possession. How about this little sequence of events that ripped every Longhorns bettor's heart out:

If Texas recovers that fumble, it's likely curtains on the game. Even after that, a simple deflection on that 3rd & 6 touchdown catch sets up Kansas with a do-or-die 4th & 6. Then, if they recover the onside kick, maybe a pissed off Texas team marches down and puts the game back into its rightful blowout territory. Let's try none of the above instead. Ok, cool, Hook 'em.

Final score: 24-17, Texas

Virginia (-4) @ Virginia Tech

No team fell off the map quite as hard as Virginia Tech did this year following a 3-1 start. Since then the Hokies went 1-5, setting up a potential gut punch at the hands of their biggest rival in Virginia on their own damn field. Would Va Tech show some pride, making them a great bet as a home underdog? Or would the Cavaliers stick a fork in 'em? Up 31-24 with 2:30 remaining, it looked like the latter, especially with the Hokies facing a 3rd & 10 at their own 25. You thought the sequence of events for Texas -15 bettors was bad? LOL, it had absolutely noting on what happened to UVA -4 backers in this one:

No words... especially for this guy:

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Final score: 34-31, Virginia Tech

Arizona State @ Arizona (Money Line)

Coming off an embarrassing 69-28 loss to Washington State, it was surprising to see that Arizona was only a 1-point underdog in this game. But being at home against their rival, suddenly it made sense, and even looked like a good bet to take the Wildcats to win the game outright. For those who did take it, this thing was WRAPPED UP heading to the fourth quarter with Arizona up 40-21. Hell, it was wrapped up with under seven minutes to play, as the Cats still lead 40-24. The Sun Devils saw the UVA-Va Tech and Kansas-Texas games and raised them in a big way:

"Collapse" was putting this one kindly. This was an utter catastrophe.

Final score: 41-40, Arizona State

Oregon @ Oregon State Over 71

With eight minutes to go and the Ducks leading 48-9, those who bet the over in this game already penciled in a L. But then Oregon decided to run up the score, taking a 55-9 lead and making it semi-interesting. Even with an Oregon State touchdown, a push was the best thing you could ask for, but a push can feel like a win when you have a bet that was already dead. When the Beavers scored to make it 55-15 with 16 seconds to go, that beautiful push was in the cards, until they went for two, which now brought the over into play! An improbable win?! Maybe .... yeah, nope:

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Final score: 55-15, Oregon

Utah State (+2.5) @ Boise State

Pretty absurd bet to take late on Saturday night after three full days of betting, but if you did you we're throwing a parade when the Aggies hit an 83-yard screen pass for a touchdown from their own 17-yard-line to make it a 26-24 game with 3:12 to go. If Boise State could run the clock out you got the cover, or if Utah State got a stop, kicked a field goal, missed a field goal or won the game with a touchdown, you would also get the cover. Overtime was completely out of play barring a safety from Boise, so you were sitting pretty. Coming out of the two-minute warning, the Broncos faced 2nd & 4, needing a first down to seal the game, and they got it when running back Alexander Mattison broke free for 59 yards, scaring Utah State 2.5 bettors in the process as he galloped toward the end zone. But the Aggies made the tackle, and all Boise had to do was kneel the ball and run out the clock. Victory formation baby! Wait ... what?

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Never underestimate the non-existent Utah State-Boise State rivalry. Broncos simply had to run up the score. OUCH.

Final score: 33-24, Boise State

Oakland Raiders (+13) @ Baltimore Ravens

Some would say betting on the Raiders this year makes you an idiot, others would call them a LIVE underdog on the road facing a rookie quarterback. Yes, Lamar Jackson looked good in his first NFL start, but let's not crown the kid just yet. You're telling me Oakland couldn't force a few turnovers and keep this game close? That's exactly what they did in the first half, picking off Jackson and kicking a field goal to cut the lead to 13-10, then picking him off again right before the half to stop a potential scoring drive and keep the deficit at three. Even after the Ravens scored on their opening drive of the second half, Oakland had an answer, before promptly giving up another touchdown to make it 27-17.

You were still in a great spot if you had the Raiders, as they took over with eight minutes to go trailing by 10 with a chance to make you feel really safe with some points. After picking up one first down, Oakland faced 4th & 8 on their own 38 with 5:55 to go, and Jon Gruden decided to go for it. Oh dear:

The Raiders tackling on offense is almost as bad as their tackling on defense. Boom, roasted.

Final score: 34-17, Ravens

New England Patriots @ New York Jets (+13)

Another questionable bet or another LIVE dog? The Jets somehow always play the Pats strong at home, minus the ButtFumble game. This theory was proved correct for most of the afternoon, with the Jets even leading 7-0 at one point and heading to halftime tied at 10-10. The Pats quickly snapped out of it though, taking a 20-13 lead into the fourth quarter and then going on a 10-play, 80-yard, we're-better-than-you-and-we-know-it drive that ended with a Sony Michel one-yard touchdown run to go up 27-13. New York showed some fight, reaching the New England 12 with 2:23 remaining, giving themselves a chance at a backdoor cover. NARRATOR: "They didn't cover."

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Final score: 27-13, Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos Over 47.5

Last but not least, we end with one of the wackiest games of the weekend, one that the red-hot Steelers appeared to take control of on this pass from Big Ben to tight end Xavier Grimble:

The worst rule in football hurt over bettors, Steelers bettors, Grimble's pride, and everything in between. Why he didn't cut back to the GIANT amount of green grass to his right is a mystery, one he solved after the game by saying he wanted to run "right through" the safety. Talk about your all-time backfires.

Even with that disaster, the over somehow was still in play late in the game when the Steelers got all the way to the Denver three-yard-line down 24-17 with 1:57 remaining. A touchdown and the extra point would clinch the over, and if the Steelers went for two things would get pretty nervy, but the over would still be in play. Instead, Pittsburgh threw it on 1st & goal, ran it on 2nd & goal even when Tony Romo said from the booth it was a bad idea, and then Big Ben threw a horrific interception to end the game and kill the over, also killing any hopes for Steelers -3 backers in the process. For shame.

Final score: 24-17, Broncos