Miami’s failure to take a knee vs. Georgia Tech leads to bad beat for bettors

Last updated: 2023/10/08 at 3:15 PM

BigP Published October 8, 2023

On a Saturday full of bad beats, this one might take the cake, especially for parlay bettors.

The No. 17 Miami Hurricanes led Georgia Tech 20-17, with time running out late Saturday night in Miami.

Yellow Jackets bettors who took the 19.5 points were comfortably covering, but Georgia Tech moneyline backers (+900, bet $10 to win $100 total) had all but ripped their tickets up.

Then, chaos ensued.

Twice.

Final: Georgia Tech 23, Miami 20.

Here’s what happened in the final minute.

The Hurricanes (-1600 moneyline, bet $10 to win $10.63 total) had the ball at the Yellow Jackets’ 30-yard line with about 30 seconds remaining.

Georgia Tech, coming off a 38-27 loss to Bowling Green, was out of timeouts.

Miami had third down and 10 from the Tech 30. Instead of taking a knee and running out the clock, coach Mario Cristobal elected to run a play.

Running back Donald Chaney Jr. was met by two tacklers and fumbled, with Georgia Tech recovering. A video review confirmed the call with 26 seconds to go.

If that wasn’t bad enough, on second down, quarterback Haynes King completed a pass to Malik Rutherford for 30 yards to the Miami 44 when a Hurricanes’ defender misjudged the pass.

After spiking the ball to stop the clock with 10 seconds left, King was flushed out of the pocket but saw Christian Leary, who was open behind the Miami defense at the 10.

Leary scored a touchdown untouched with a second left.

The TD created pandemonium for Yellow Jackets’ moneyline bettors while producing an all-time bad beat for Hurricanes backers. There were also tons of parlays tied to Miami just winning, causing a huge swing at the sportsbooks.

Georgia Tech improved to 3-3, Miami fell to 4-1.

“I’m stunned. I can only think of what coach Mario Cristobal has to live with now for the very near future,” said commentator Mark Richt, a former Hurricanes player and head coach.

“Who knows how long this will stay in his craw, so to speak. It’s a mistake that, in football terms, is catastrophic. It was a mistake that cost the game; it was a mistake that cost the undefeated season to this point. It was a mistake that cost Miami a lot. … Now there’s nothing but question marks and criticism instead of 5-0.”

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