Vanderbilt Steals It 35-31 on a Fumble Return at Zero
The clock read 0:00 when Vanderbilt finally got ahead. Cayden Daniels scored on a fumble return, Brock Taylor kicked the extra point, and a team that had trailed since the opening drive won 35-31. It was the only lead Vanderbilt held all day, and it lasted exactly as long as it needed to.
NC State came out fast. Will Wilson ran 38 yards for a score, Keenan Jackson caught a 30-yard touchdown from CJ Bailey, and a Kanoah Vinesett field goal made it 17-0 in the second quarter. Vanderbilt got a 12-yard Jared Curtis touchdown pass to Junior Sherrill with 12 seconds left in the half, then chipped away. Jackson caught a 6-yarder to make it 24-7, Makhilyn Young ran in a 7-yard score right after, and Sedrick Alexander caught a 10-yarder to cut it to 24-21. Jackson answered with a 23-yard touchdown for a 31-21 lead with 9:35 left. Sherrill's 43-yard catch made it 31-28, and then nothing else scored until the final play.
The box score tells you where the trouble was. NC State outgained Vanderbilt 447 yards to 409 and ran 40 times to 24, but lost two fumbles and threw an interception. Vanderbilt gave it away three times as well (two picks and a fumble), yet it was the Commodores who got the last one back for six. Flip that final play and NC State wins 31-28.
Vanderbilt is 3-0. NC State drops to 1-2, and I would not blame anyone there for staring at the wall for a while.
The fantasy story was lopsided in the best way. Jackson scored three times and Curtis threw three touchdowns of his own.