In a stunning turn of events, Vanderbilt rallied past NC State with a last-second touchdown stemming from a critical fumble during an intentional safety attempt. The Wolfpack appeared poised for victory after intercepting Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis near their own end zone, giving them possession with minimal time remaining on the clock.
Facing fourth down, NC State head coach Dave Doeren elected to have the offense take an intentional safety rather than attempt a punt, aiming to avoid potential mistakes in a precarious field position. Running back C.J. Bailey was sent into the end zone to kneel the ball, but as Vanderbilt defenders closed in, Bailey attempted to evade them and buy additional time instead of falling to the turf immediately.
The decision proved catastrophic when Vanderbilt EDGE Miles Capers forced a fumble from Bailey, and cornerback Cayden Daniels recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown. The score marked Vanderbilt’s first lead of the matchup, as the Commodores had trailed by as many as 17 points during the second half.
With just one second remaining, NC State was unable to generate a response, and Vanderbilt secured a 35-31 victory. The win improved Vanderbilt to 3-0, with SEC conference play ahead, while NC State fell to 1-2 following the loss in Nashville.
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