The scene was exactly as Commodore fans could have imaged it. Down three points with 2:04 left on the clock, starting quarterback Jared Curtis and the Vanderbilt offense got the ball on its own 31-yard line.
Having just led two touchdown drives, the confident freshman led the ’Dores down the field to the Wolfpack’s 16-yardline. It seemed as if Curtis was certain to lead a game-winning drive. And then, he threw into the hands of the other team.
The game was over as soon as Brody Barnhardt intercepted the ball on the 2-yard line. At least that’s what everyone thought as the stands of FirstBank Stadium began to clear out.
But there was still 1:03 left in the game, and when there is time left, there is always a chance.
And Vanderbilt seized that chance.
When the NC State coaching staff opted to take an intentional safety with six seconds on the clock, Vanderbilt pressured the Wolfpack’s CJ Bailey into a fumble — which was recovered by Miles Capers for a touchdown. Vanderbilt was victorious.
Immediately, many began taking to social media and their group chats, dubbing this win a “miracle.” But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Despite very sloppy play, especially in the first half, the Commodores put themselves in a position to win down the stretch — including that final play where defensive coordinator Steve Gregory called the perfect blitz.
And so, even if it was not pretty, Vanderbilt earned its victory over the Wolfpack.
“This has become a program that finds a way to win, and, I think that can’t be undersold in this moment.”
— Clark Lea
“This has become a program that finds a way to win,” head coach Clark Lea said after the game. “And, I think that can’t be undersold in this moment.”
Empty glasses
While there is much to take away from the football that was played, this game should first and foremost be a lesson to the Vanderbilt fanbase: Never give up on your team.
The Black and Gold Faithful had a miserable showing on Saturday, as FirstBank Stadium was noticeably empty — and many of the fuller sections were covered by Wolfpack Red.
To make matters worse, droves of fans left the game at halftime when the ’Dores were trailing 17-7 — a clearly impatient group.
It may have been 95 degrees outside, but the lack of energy and presence brought by Vanderbilt fans was simply unacceptable if they wish to cheer their team to victory.
And due to the excitement of the game’s result, Commodore Nation must grow more confident in the team and wait and hope a little bit more. Because as 2025’s Vanderbilt team showed, a truly great program needs consistent support.
So, Vanderbilt fans: Challenge yourselves to be a bit more patient and a bit more hopeful with your team going forward.
— Eli Landers
So, Vanderbilt fans: Challenge yourselves to be a bit more patient and a bit more hopeful with your team going forward.
The microwave
In his first collegiate start, Curtis looked pretty good — certainly like the five-star talent he is. The first-year threw for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns, while picking up another 64 yards on the ground.
Almost all of his success came in a high-tempo, no-huddle offense.
Where he struggled was when offensive coordinator Tim Beck had clearly designed plays. Coming out of the huddle, the 19-year-old often hyper fixated on certain routes, which led to the offense stalling out when it played slowly on its first four drives.
The pick Curtis threw at the end of the game was a perfect example of this. The quarterback never took his eyes off of MK Young, and despite double coverage on the back, he seemed determined to fit the ball into the route of choice from the play’s inception.
But starting at the end of the second half, when Beck allowed his signal-caller to play faster, Curtis seemed to forget about the moment or the specific hot-route and find the open man downfield.
“There were parts of the game where we didn’t have a [play]call,” wide receiver Junior Sherrill said post-game. “And, [Curtis] just took over. So, I just love the maturity and confidence he’s showing.”
Thinking on his feet also allowed Curtis to get rolling on his own. One of his best plays of the game came on a crucial 4th-and-5 where he saw a gap and scrambled with power for a 9-yard first down gain.
Yes, for Curtis to be most successful in the long run, he must get better with designed plays. But for the most offensive success in the short term, Beck should let his young gun play like one.
And as the quarterback was great in quick situations, Vanderbilt’s defense mimicked him as it was also able to heat up fast.
It was far from a perfect performance from Gregory’s unit — but it was certainly at its best down the stretch — a key characteristic of how the coordinator adjusts his gameplan as a match goes on. In fact, Vanderbilt has gone 15-1 in second halves since he joined the coaching staff last year — much to the success of its defense.
The matchup with NC State was no different. Especially in run sets, Vanderbilt got much better in the latter part of the match. It held the Wolfpack to just 3.7 yards per carry after halftime as opposed to 4.3 in the first two quarters. The Commodores also forced both turnovers in the second half.
And in the most crucial moments — like the 4th down set that resulted in the game-winning fumble, or the 4th-and-7 stop earlier in the quarter — Gregory’s guys came up big.
Vanderbilt fans should feel confident that no matter how imperfect it may be, their team’s defense will continue to be clutch and get hot when it needs to most.
Family hold back
In many ways, Beck’s playcalling early in the game held Curtis back. But even more than that, the offense was hindered by an extremely sloppy performance from the offensive line.
The Commodore blockers were great on many places on the stat sheet — leading the team to 5.5 yards per carry and not allowing a sack.
But as they worked to protect Curtis, Vanderbilt’s blockers got dirty. Of the team’s abysmal 13 penalties for 116 lost yards, the O-line accounted for eight of them. Senior guard Orion Irving was the worst — with three flags called on him alone.
Frequent holding and false start calls continuously put Vanderbilt in poor positioning and was a key reason for the team’s slow offensive start.
“We set a record here in terms of penalties and penalty yards,” Lea said. “Obviously, that’s a problem.”
Curtis proved on a few occasions Saturday that he can make good plays while being pressured — so there is no need for his blockers to get overly aggressive in protecting him. The penalty yards Vanderbilt loses by doing so are far more valuable than almost anything that can come from not holding.
While it’s only fair to acknowledge that the team is still learning how to play with Curtis’s cadence under center, to succeed in SEC play, the offensive line needs to be much more disciplined.
Bagels
Vanderbilt, despite doing just enough to eke out a win, had some clear holes in the way its roster played.
Defensively, Vanderbilt’s cornerbacks were terrible, especially in man coverage, as Martel Hight and Cayden Daniels got burned by the Wolfpack for much of the contest. Hight in particular looked hopeless, as NC State’s Keenan Jackson snagged 9 catches for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns against the senior — where two of the scores came on go-routes.
In the first half, the corners as well as the Commodore linebacking core struggled to make tackles in the open field, giving up lots of unnecessary yards after catch. It took a stout recovery unit from Vanderbilt’s safeties — CJ Heard, Ricardo Jones and Mason Lewis, who each had eight tackles — to stop much of the bleeding from other defensive units.
On the other side of the ball, Vanderbilt’s play in the passing game also brought up questions. Sherrill had a great day, with 108 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns on 6 snags, and Tristen Brown had 81 yards of his own, but the rest of the pass-catching ’Dores were questionable at best.
No other Commodore had more than two receptions and notably dropped many passes. Brycen Coleman struggled to get open, and tight end Jayvontay Conner saw less playing despite his solid performance against Delaware.
As teams begin to put more emphasis on guarding the standout Sherrill, Curtis will need his other targets to step up and start making plays or the offense may go cold once more.
The ’Dores will start conference play Saturday, Sept. 26 as they travel to take on Auburn at 3:15 p.m. CDT.
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