NC State's Catastrophic Fumble Seals Shock Loss to Vanderbilt
Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey's strip-sack in his own end zone in the final seconds results in a game-winning touchdown for the Commodores, igniting calls for head coach Dave Doeren's dismissal.
North Carolina State suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of Vanderbilt after a critical error in the closing seconds of their game, a blunder that has intensified scrutiny on head coach Dave Doeren.
The Wolfpack held a 31-28 lead over the Commodores with only six seconds remaining. Positioned deep in their own territory, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey was tasked with running out the clock. The safest option, even if it resulted in a two-point safety for Vanderbilt, would have preserved the lead at 31-30, effectively ending the game.
However, as Vanderbilt blitzed, Bailey scrambled in the end zone. Instead of taking a knee to concede the safety, he was strip-sacked. The ball was recovered by Vanderbilt in the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Commodores a dramatic 35-31 victory. This marked a rare instance where a team with the lead and possession in the final ten seconds lost the game; such outcomes had occurred only once in the previous 20 seasons before this match, with NC State now accounting for the second.
The shocking ending drew widespread disbelief and criticism on social media, with many fans calling for the dismissal of Doeren. Comments on X described the finish as the "craziest ending to a college football game I have ever seen" and "ABSOLUTELY INSANE WAY TO LOSE."
College football writer Brad Crawford stated, "This should be the end of the Dave Doeren era at NC State. Simply unacceptable after one of the biggest gaffes in CFB history. Wolfpack led throughout. Disastrous."
Following the game, Doeren explained the play's intention: "It's just a play where you roll out and you don't get tackled. You try and burn as much time as you can and then fall on the ground and protect the football. He got hit and he didn't protect the football. Plan was to take a safety and try and run out the clock if we can, but there was no intent to run the football and get hit on that play."
The loss drops NC State's season record to 1-2. The Wolfpack are scheduled to play Appalachian State next weekend. Reports indicate Doeren has a buyout clause of $10.5 million in his contract.
