Vanderbilt Stuns NC State After Last-Second Fumble in End Zone

Vanderbilt turned a would-be intentional safety into a game-winning touchdown Saturday when North Carolina State quarterback CJ Bailey lost the ball in the end zone and Cayden Daniels recovered with one second left, lifting the Commodores to a 35-31 win at FirstBank Stadium.

The sequence gave Vanderbilt (3-0) its third straight victory and dropped NC State to 1-2 after the Wolfpack had led by 17 points in both halves. Vanderbilt entered as a three-point favorite and needed the final play to cover.

Bailey was attempting to run out the clock by surrendering an intentional safety when Miles Capers jarred the ball loose. Daniels fell on it for the decisive touchdown, stunning the home crowd and overturning a late turnover that had seemed to seal Vanderbilt’s fate.

Sixty-four seconds earlier, Vanderbilt freshman quarterback Jared Curtis threw a red-zone interception while trailing by three points, an error that could have cost the Commodores a chance to tie with a field goal. Instead, NC State coach Dave Doeren called for the intentional safety on the ensuing possession, a decision that backfired.

“We talk about every blade of grass on defense, and, literally, that’s every blade of grass,” Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said after the game. “I think you’ve got to credit North Carolina State. They played the better football today, but we had enough at the end there to get it close and to put pressure on them, and it was going to take every second of the clock. So I’m proud of the resilience of my team.”

Curtis, making his first career start, finished 20-of-34 for 277 yards with three touchdowns, two interceptions and 64 rushing yards. He connected with Junior Sherrill for a 43-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to 31-28 with 6:18 remaining. Sherrill caught six passes for 108 yards and two scores.

Curtis, ranked by Rivals as the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2026 class and a former Georgia commit, had split time with senior Blaze Berlowitz earlier in the season. He fumbled in the second quarter and threw a first-quarter interception that resembled an arm punt before settling in late in the first half.

Bailey’s final mistake overshadowed an otherwise productive day. The 6-foot-6 junior totaled 310 yards of offense — 275 passing and 35 rushing — with three touchdown passes and one interception. All three scoring throws went to Keenan Jackson, who had nine receptions for 102 yards.

NC State scored on three of its first four possessions and built a 17-0 lead before Vanderbilt got on the board with 12 seconds left in the first half. The Wolfpack converted three fourth downs and attempted five such conversions, continuing to push despite the early advantage.

Doeren’s late-game gamble failed, and Vanderbilt escaped with a result that kept its unbeaten start intact while handing NC State a difficult loss.

Reporting by Yahoo Sports. Read the original report: Vanderbilt Stuns NC State After Last-Second Fumble in End Zone.