Vanderbilt Stuns NC State With a Fumble-Recovery Touchdown in the Final Seconds, 35-31

Vanderbilt beat NC State 35-31 on Saturday, Sept. 19, in Nashville, after one of the strangest finishes of the college football season.

NC State led 17-0 at halftime and 24-7 in the third quarter, according to the Associated Press and ESPN. Vanderbilt then scored on three straight touchdown drives. NC State still led 31-28 late in the game and was backed up near its own 5-yard line as the clock wound down, ESPN reported.

With seconds left, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey tried to run out the clock in his own end zone. Vanderbilt’s Miles Capers knocked the ball loose, and cornerback Cayden Daniels recovered it for a touchdown, both outlets reported. The play was reviewed and upheld, and ESPN reported that one second was put back on the clock.

Vanderbilt kicked the extra point. NC State got one more snap and tried a series of desperate laterals, and Vanderbilt recovered another fumble to end the game, ESPN reported. Several outlets, including ESPN, called it Vanderbilt’s own “Music City Miracle,” a reference to the Tennessee Titans’ famous 2000 playoff play in Nashville.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said, “We talk about defending every blade of grass on defense, and literally, that’s every blade of grass,” ESPN reported. NC State coach Dave Doeren told ESPN, “It’s a shame it came down to that play. That should never happen.” The AP quoted him as saying, “Very sad ending to a game where I thought we did a lot of good.”

Vanderbilt improved to 3-0, and NC State fell to 1-2, according to the AP. ESPN reported that Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 64 yards, while Bailey threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns for NC State.