Vanderbilt Stuns NC State
Vanderbilt Defeats NC State 35-31 With Late Fumble Recovery in End Zone
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Key Points
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Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea credited his team’s persistence while acknowledging that NC State had been the better team for much of the game: “We had enough at the end there to get it close and to put pressure on them.”
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NC State chose not to punt on fourth-and-5 from inside its own 10-yard line. Instead, quarterback CJ Bailey was instructed to run out the clock before taking a safety, which would have given the Wolfpack a 31-30 win—until Vanderbilt forced the fumble in the end zone.
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The result was statistically extraordinary: NC State became only the second team in the past 20 years to lose while leading and possessing the ball in the final 10 seconds. Teams had been 1,046-1 in that situation, with Michigan’s 2015 botched-punt loss the other exception.
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Before Vanderbilt’s winning defensive play, NC State appeared to have secured the game when it intercepted Jared Curtis at the 1-yard line, following a near go-ahead touchdown drive by the Commodores.
Vanderbilt pulled off one of college football's most improbable comebacks, rallying from a 17-point deficit to stun NC State 35-31 at FirstBank Stadium. With just one second remaining, ESPN reported that Vanderbilt's Miles Capers forced a fumble from NC State quarterback CJ Bailey in the end zone, and backup cornerback Cayden Daniels recovered it for the winning touchdown. The victory ended Vanderbilt's 66-game losing streak in games where it trailed by double digits in the fourth quarter.
NC State appeared to have the game won, leading 31-28 with six seconds left and possessing the ball deep in its own territory. According to 247Sports, the Wolfpack chose not to punt on fourth-and-5, instead instructing Bailey to scramble and run out the clock before taking a safety. The decision backfired catastrophically when Capers broke through and forced the fumble that ended the game.
Freshman QB Curtis Throws Three TDs Despite Early Turnovers
Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis made his first collegiate start as a true freshman and showed real promise despite costly mistakes. TSN reported that Curtis threw 277 yards and three touchdowns while adding 64 rushing yards on the ground. However, he also committed three turnovers, including a crucial interception at the NC State 2-yard line with 1:04 remaining that nearly sealed a Wolfpack victory.
Curtis led Vanderbilt back from the brink in the fourth quarter. He threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Sedrick Alexander to cut NC State's lead to 24-21, then connected with Junior Sherrill on a 43-yard touchdown bomb with 6:24 remaining to bring Vanderbilt within one point at 31-28.
NC State's Game-Management Gamble Ends in Historic Collapse
Fox Sports highlighted that NC State had a 1,046-1 win probability when leading with possession in the final 10 seconds over the past 20 years. The Wolfpack became only the second team in that span to lose, joining Michigan's infamous 2015 botched-punt loss to Michigan State. NC State's decision to forgo a punt on fourth-and-5 from inside its own 10-yard line with six seconds left proved disastrous.
CJ Bailey threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns, all to receiver Keenan Jackson, before his final fumble. Yahoo Sports noted that Vanderbilt's defensive call on the final snap was designed specifically to create immediate pressure and force a decision. The strategy worked perfectly when Capers burst through unblocked.
Commodores Shatter Long Streak and Enter SEC Play Undefeated
ABC11 reported that the win extended Vanderbilt's home winning streak at FirstBank Stadium to 10 consecutive games and ties the program's largest comeback victory since defeating Ole Miss in 2012. Coach Clark Lea credited his team's relentless pressure and refusal to quit. "We had enough at the end there to get it close and to put pressure on them," Lea said after the game.
Vanderbilt improved to 3-0 on the season and heads into its SEC opener at Auburn next week undefeated. NC State dropped to 1-2 and continues searching for its first road victory against an SEC opponent since 1977, facing intense scrutiny over the final-moments decision-making that cost them the game.
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