4th Quarter Covers - Sep. 30 - Oct. 3
Nelly's Sportsline
Here is a look back at the spread result changing plays and sequences from last weekend's college games and the week 4 NFL results. There were several wild finishes that had spread result changing moments in the fourth quarter, leaving backers on both sides watching intently through the final minutes.
NCAA:
In a wild Thursday night game Texas A&M took a 21-7 lead into halftime at Oklahoma State. Taking advantage of turnovers, the Cowboys would dominate the third quarter to go up 28-21 and then extended that lead to 35-21 early in the fourth quarter. A&M would rally with back-to-back scoring drives to tie the game and the Aggies got the ball back. An interception would set-up a 40-yard field goal to win it for Oklahoma State as time expired. Many lines were at -3, but many also closed a -2.5 making for an exciting finish on both sides.
Connecticut and Vanderbilt were tied at 21-21 at halftime but the Huskies took control in the second half to go up 31-21 entering the fourth quarter to just barely clear the spread. An interception return touchdown and a safety were added late to create a misleading final in fairly even statistical game.
Northwestern trailed most of the way against Minnesota with a missed extra-point looking critical with as the Gophers led 21-20 entering the fourth quarter. Northwestern would rally to take the lead 29-28 and actually gave Wildcat backers a glimpse at a miracle cover as there was a clear field ahead on Ben Johnson's interception of Minnesota's final possession but the senior slid to the ground to secure the win.
NC State stormed out to 17-0 lead and appeared headed for a sure cover as a slight home underdog. Leading 27-21 entering the fourth quarter the wheels started to fall of for the Wolfpack as Virginia Tech scored early in the fourth quarter to take a one-point lead. A 42-yard field goal with less than five minutes to go gave NC State the lead back and the cushion for a cover on a game winning field goal but Virginia Tech would find the end zone to lead 34-30. The two-point conversion was missed to give many a win or a push still on NC State but the Hokies were not done. Russell Wilson's first passed was picked and returned to the six-yard line and Virginia Tech pounded in the score, putting up 13 points in less than a minute of game clock to seal the win and earn an improbable cover.
Tied at halftime East Carolina seemed to be hanging with North Carolina as one of the Tar Heel scores came on defense. East Carolina took a 3-point lead early in the third quarter but the Pirates would not score again. North Carolina led by just eleven entering the fourth quarter but the ground game took over on a tired ECU defense and the Tar Heels stole the cover late, scoring twice in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter to create a misleading final.
Army backers took a tough loss against Temple as the Owls took over the game in the fourth quarter. Army led by 15 late in the third quarter but Temple would score and hit a two-point conversion to get within seven. Temple's defense stepped up in the final frame and the Owls offense could not be stopped scoring touchdowns on four consecutive possessions. Army would put together an 80-yard scoring drive to get back within seven and just a point from the closing spread but Temple did not give the ball back.
Favored by 3-points Kent State led 14-10 entering the fourth quarter. Miami scored two touchdowns in just over a minute early in the fourth quarter including the second score on a blocked punt return to lead by ten points and hold on for the upset eventually winning 27-21.
Laying a huge spread on the road at Colorado State, TCU had a very slow start leading just 6-0 at halftime. The Frogs turned it on in the second half to win 27-0, laying 33.5 points. The game ended with TCU on the 15-yard line running out the clock and failing to deliver to final score for the miraculous cover.
Pittsburgh found a lucky cover with a late scoring flurry as the Panthers led just 16-10 entering the fourth quarter as a 17-point favorite against Florida International. The lead was still just six after both teams put together touchdown drives with less than ten minutes to go in the game. Pittsburgh would break a couple of big plays on the ground late to pad the rushing statistics and create a very misleading 44-17 final in a game that was even most of the way.
Auburn was just shy of the closing spread entering the fourth quarter with a 38-3 lead but the Tigers had no problem pushing the lead further with two more touchdowns late against Louisiana-Monroe.
Duke out-gained Maryland but it looked Maryland would take the win and cover after a third quarter punt return touchdown led to a 14-9 Maryland lead entering the fourth quarter. Maryland scored quickly in the fourth to get past the spread to lead 21-9 but Duke would eventually answer to cut the lead to five and the Blue Devils got the ball back into Maryland territory but could not convert to lose 21-16.
The line did close at -2.5 but many would have had the game at -3 or higher throughout the week to take Oregon State over Arizona State. Oregon State seemed in control with a ten-point halftime lead and a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter. ASU chipped away with another field goal to get within four but just seconds later Jacquizz Rodgers broke a 74-yard scoring run to push the lead to eleven. Arizona State scored the backdoor cover for many however by scoring with less than three minutes to go and connecting on the two-point conversion to cut the final margin to three.
SMU got an interception return touchdown and a blocked field goal for a touchdown to pull away from Rice, up 28-10 entering the fourth quarter. Rice got back within the spread scoring first in the final frame but SMU padded the margin with consecutive scoring drives to get up 42-17. Rice would keep fighting at home however and two late scores earned the Owls a narrow cover, the last score coming with less than two minutes to go in the game and following an onside kick. The game ended with SMU in possession of the ball on the Rice 15.
Laying just over 21 on the closing line South Florida led by 21 entering the fourth quarter. An early fourth quarter touchdown proved to be enough for the Bulls to take the cash in an uninspiring performance against Florida Atlantic. The Owls were on the verge of stealing the spread back, going 56 yards in the final three minutes but failing to find the end zone.
Nevada led by 21 entering the fourth quarter to narrowly cover against UNLV and that margin was pushed to 24 with just a few minutes remaining in the game. UNLV stole the backdoor cover with a late score, cutting the margin to just 18. The game ended with Nevada on the five-yard line, opting not to punch in another score.
NFL:
Baltimore led Pittsburgh 10-7 entering the fourth quarter after a scoreless third quarter in an expected defensive battle. The Steelers put together a 13-play 93-yard drive for the go-ahead score, also getting ahead of the spread. Baltimore took the ensuing drive all the way down the field, only to be stuffed near the goal line. Trying to burn the remaining clock Pittsburgh had to punt the ball back and with less than a minute to go in the game Baltimore was able to get down the field for the winning and spread-changing score.