College Football

Furious rally by Western Kentucky leads to epic bad beat for Old Dominion bettors

Updated Dec. 19, 2023 1:05 a.m. ET

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We're just a few days into college football's bowl season, and we already have an early leader for worst bad beat.

The Old Dominion Monarchs, who were 4.5-point favorites, faced the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the Famous Toastery Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday.

Monarchs bettors were already thinking about what they were going to do with their winnings as Old Dominion raced out to a 28-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the second quarter.

But things fell apart as the Hilltoppers completed one of the greatest comebacks in bowl history with a 38-35 overtime victory.

Lucas Carneiro's 29-yard field goal in OT won it for WKU.

Western Kentucky was +155 on the moneyline!

How improbable was the comeback?

Consider:

– The Monarchs (6-7) raced to a 21-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

– The Hilltoppers trailed 28-7 at halftime.

– Trailing 35-28, WKU (8-5) blocked a 47-yard field-goal attempt with 2:53 to go in the fourth quarter. A successful kick would've made it a two-score game.

– The Hilltoppers tied it on redshirt freshman Caden Veltkamp's 15-yard touchdown pass to K.D. Hutchinson with 19 seconds to go in the fourth. 

On fourth down and goal!

– The Monarchs had first and goal at the 1 in OT but got stuffed on three straight plays.

– ODU then had a 23-yard field-goal attempt blocked prior to Carneiro's winning kick.

Ouch!

The capper?

Veltkamp, a third-stringer who threw six passes before the bowl, is in the transfer portal.

Veltkamp entered the portal after he was told he'd switch to tight end next season. Coach Tyson Helton allows players in the portal to play in the bowl if they haven't committed to another school.

Veltkamp, whose father Jason is a WKU strength coach, was 40-for-52 passing (76.9%) for 383 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.

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College Football

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Old Dominion Monarchs

CFB - Famous Toastery Bowl - 12/18/2023

K.D. Hutchinson

Caden Veltkamp

Lucas Carneiro

Austin Reed