2023 College Football Bad Beat: Cal Bears moneyline bettors fall just short vs. USC

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The No. 24 USC Trojans and unranked California Golden Bears engaged in a back-and-forth Pac-12 Conference college football game on Saturday.

Cal moneyline bettors (+370, bet $10 to win $47 total) were feeling confident at multiple points during the game.

The Bears overcame a 10-0 deficit to lead 28-17 at halftime.

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The Trojans took a 29-28 lead midway through the third quarter before the Bears roared back for a 43-29 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The teams combined for three touchdowns in the final 6:11 but a failed two-point conversion attempt with less than a minute to go doomed those Cal moneyline bettors hoping for the upset.

Here's how the final minutes wreaked havoc on the nerves of moneyline bettors on both sides, as USC held on for a 50-49 victory.

USC's MarShawn Lloyd scored on a 9-yard run with 6:11 left to tie the game at 43.

The teams each lost a fumble, then Cal turned the ball over on downs.

On the next play, Lloyd busted loose for a 56-yard run to the Cal 7.

Austin Jones ran through a big gap in the Cal defense on the next play as USC took a 50-43 lead with 3:33 to go.

The Bears then drove 79 yards in 2:30, capped by Fernando Mendoza's 13-yard TD pass to Jaivian Thomas to make it 50-49 with 58 seconds left.

Cal coach Justin Wilcox elected to go for the win, but Mendoza's pass into the end zone on the two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams helped run out the clock by eating up precious seconds before ending the final three plays.

Trojans moneyline bettors (-485, bet $10 to win $12.06 total) cashed in, as did Cal bettors who took the 11 points.

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