AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
N.C. State’s stunning loss to Vanderbilt was the kind of loss where people look at each other and don’t know what to say; where “I’m sorry” isn’t enough, and nothing seems right.
Read more Live updates: Vice President JD Vance will rally Republicans in Greensboro
The Wolfpack has experienced tough losses before — it had one against Virginia to open the season. But the loss to the Commodores may be one of the worst in recent memory. Sure, the Pack looked unprepared against the Cavaliers. It looked like a lower-level team against Tennessee two years ago. Notre Dame and Miami both whooped N.C. State’s 2025 squad.
This was far worse than any of those.
The difference Saturday was the fact that N.C. State was in the driver’s seat. Sure, it could’ve extended the lead on the second-to-last drive of the game (we’ll get to that later), but even without that, the Wolfpack had multiple options on its final play that would have sealed the game.
Instead of winning 31-28 after Brody Barnhardt’s clutch interception, the Wolfpack becomes the only team of 1,046 in the past 20 years to lose when holding a lead and possession in the final 10 seconds of a game.
CJ Bailey’s end zone fumble is the kind of conclusion that sticks with a program long after the game is over. Where does the team go from here? It’s a long season, and Athletic Director Boo Corrigan is not one to fire head coaches midway through the season unless there are other circumstances.
That’s not to say he couldn’t be persuaded to make a change sooner, but based on his previous statements, it feels like Dave Doeren will remain in Raleigh for now.
The Wolfpack, then, will turn its sights to Appalachian State. Here are more questions and observations from N.C. State’s collapse in Nashville as it prepares to face the Mountaineers.
For all the preseason talk about how improved Bailey has been, he’d struggled at times with his accuracy and decision-making.
Wide receiver Keenan Jackson said he doesn’t put the entire loss on Bailey. Nor should he. There were other plays that could’ve prevented the situation to begin with.
However, Bailey is a third-year starting quarterback. He’s not a freshman. He should have the wherewithal to make situational decisions.
Maybe that’s on the coaching staff. Who knows what he was told or what he was thinking. He was not present at the postgame news conference, and Doeren spoke for three minutes. There wasn’t enough time or the proper people in attendance to address those questions.
At this point, people are wondering — for better or worse — if Will Wilson should get a shot at starting. It seems like Bailey, outside the Richmond game, isn’t getting it done. Maybe it’s time to try something new against Appalachian State this weekend.
Jackson’s big day was overshadowed by the awful ending. The junior wide receiver picked up 102 yards on nine catches and scored three times.
When the team, on its second-to-last drive of the game, is facing 4th down and 7, it feels like he would be the natural target. If not him, why not go to running back Davion Gause or tight end Preston Douglas? Both recorded at least 44 receiving yards. Another four players had at least one catch long enough to move the chains.
Instead, Bailey threw to graduate wide receiver Ashton Locklear. This is nothing personal against Locklear. He’s been with the program a long time and is the younger brother of tight ends coach Gavin Locklear. The reality is, though, he started his career as a walk-on and has very little game experience. Jackson, meanwhile, has played in 29 games for the Wolfpack and had the hot hand.
Read more Baba Chuck Davis united Durham. Supporters want a downtown plaza named for him
Had N.C. State moved the chains, it would’ve been in position to score again. There is also a question about why the team went for it on fourth down, as opposed to allowing Kanoah Vinesett to kick a field goal? His career long is 52 yards in 2024. He also kicked one from 51 yards out a year ago.
There are dozens of things that can be analyzed and dissected, but the bottom line is: N.C. State did enough to win for 59 minutes and 59 seconds.
The Wolfpack ran the ball for 168 yards against a defense that has limited success on the ground. Vanderbilt entered the game allowing roughly two yards per carry. The Pack did it without starting center Spike Sowells, too.
Bailey threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns. The defense had three takeaways. The Commodores committed 13 penalties for a loss of 116 yards.
N.C. State will live with this game forever. It had the coveted SEC win in its grasp, but plays down the stretch on offense and defense proved costly.
Even if the team bounces back against App State, it has Louisville next on the docket. And the Pack has fallen apart on the big stage twice already.
Like Richmond was following the loss to Virginia, N.C. State’s game against Appalachian State should allow the Wolfpack to return to the win column.
The Mountaineers are led by senior quarterback Malachi Singleton. He has thrown for 889 yards, averaging just under 300 passing yards per game, five touchdowns and one interception. Singleton willed his team to a 26-21 win over an 0-3 Charlotte team on Saturday. The 49ers scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including an interception return with about two minutes remaining. App State’s special teams squad recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.
Through three games, Appalachian State ranks No. 19 in FBS for total offense (521 yards per game) and is averaging 41 points per game. Singleton ranks No. 6 in the country with an 80.8% completion rate.
The Mountaineers have given up roughly 333.5 yards per game and 13.5 points per contest. They allowed more than 20 points in their wins over East Carolina and Charlotte. The App defense, however, has been disruptive, forcing 10 breakups, five interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles in the first three games.
This will be an important test for the Wolfpack, figuring out if it can play a full game in all three phases.
Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (1-2) vs. Appalachian State (3-0)
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
Date: Sept. 26
Time: 7:30p.m.
TV: ESPNU
Stream: fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV
Betting information: N.C. State is a 14-point favorite and given a 75.2% chance of winning, according to ESPN. Other U.S. sports books list the Pack as a 12.5-point favorite.
Series history: N.C. State leads the all-time series, 6-0. The Wolfpack and Mountaineers most-recently played on Sept. 2, 2006, when N.C. State came away with a 23-10 win. The Pack’s average margin of victory is 25.6 points, though it has won by as many as 56 and as few as three.
Read more Presley Gerber Spoke About Mental Health in Final Appearance Before Death