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Recaps › football › Sep 19, 2026

Football Recap #firedoeren · 38 fans · Sep 19, 2026

State blows 17-0 lead, loses on QB fumble with 1 second left

Vanderbilt
35
FINAL
L
NC State
31
Line
Vanderbilt +6.5 (State favored)
📺 SEC Network

The Day Before

😮‍💨 resigned

The morning was split between college football gameday chatter (Clemson's shocking collapse against UNC, Gameday snubbing State entirely for Vanderbilt/Ole Miss coverage) and a deep well of skepticism about whether State could actually beat an SEC team on the road for the first time in the regular season since 1999. Several longtime fans set explicit stakes: beat Vandy and buy back in, lose ugly and it gets 'very ugly' in Raleigh. There was a running joke about the team's soccer-player kicker and general resignation that Doeren isn't going anywhere no matter what happens.

What Fans Expected

  • Beating an SEC team (even Vanderbilt) on the road would be the first regular-season win over an SEC opponent since 1999
  • Fans widely predicted State would blow a lead or find a way to lose late
  • Concern about the true freshman kicker's kickoffs being exploitable
  • Belief that if State loses ugly to Vandy, fan patience with Doeren snaps

Storylines Going In

  • Vanderbilt's freshman QB Diego Curtis as an emerging dual-threat problem
  • Clemson's stunning no-show performance against UNC dominating pregame conversation
  • College Gameday and other national shows ignoring/snubbing NC State entirely
  • Long losing streak vs. Power 4/SEC opponents historically
  • Kicking game (soccer-style kicker, Vinesett) flagged as a pregame worry

📊 Community Mood

1820 messages tracked, scored in 15-minute windows

Sat 12:52 PM — Will Wilson opens the scoring with a long touchdown run, giving State an early 7-0 lead and hope
Sat 2:17 PM — Controversial pass interference call helps Vanderbilt score right before halftime after State mismanaged the clock with a big lead
Sat 3:42 PM — Keenan Jackson catches a clutch touchdown to extend State's lead in the fourth quarter
Sat 4:06 PM — State throws to walk-on Ashton Locklear on 4th-and-7, incomplete, nearly costing the game
Sat 4:13 PM — Vanderbilt misses a field goal that would have won or extended the game, seemingly saving State
Sat 4:20 PM — CJ Bailey fumbles while trying to run out the final 6 seconds instead of kneeling/taking a safety, and Vanderbilt recovers to win the game

What Happened

NC State jumped out fast on the road against Vanderbilt behind a Will Wilson touchdown run and built a 17-0 first-half lead with sharp offense from CJ Bailey hitting slants and seam routes. But starting from a critical 3:43-remaining sequence in the second quarter, Doeren's clock management unraveled — burning timeouts unnecessarily, going ultra-conservative, and allowing Vanderbilt freshman QB Diego Curtis (aided by a controversial pass-interference call) to score right before halftime. The pattern repeated in the third and fourth quarters: State would answer with big plays (a Keenan Jackson breakout day, including a clutch late TD), but couldn't put the game away, missing sacks, blowing tackles, and getting torched by Curtis, who kept Vanderbilt in striking distance all game.

The defining moment came with State leading 31-28 and the ball with just 6 seconds left needing only to run out the clock. Instead, on Doeren's own admission postgame, CJ Bailey was told to try to run out the remaining time rather than simply kneel or take a safety; Bailey ran forward, fumbled, and Vanderbilt recovered — sealing an unbelievable Vanderbilt win. Adding to the community's disbelief, State had also targeted a walk-on receiver, Ashton Locklear, on a critical 4th-and-7 conversion attempt shortly before that, which fell incomplete and nearly cost the game outright before the final sequence made it moot.

The fallout was immediate and severe: the game went viral across national college football media as one of the most inexplicable losses of the year, drawing mockery on every broadcast and social feed. The community's mood spiraled from cautious optimism to outright fury, with widespread calls for Doeren's firing, questions about Bailey's future and mental state, and deep frustration over what fans see as a 14-year pattern of Doeren's teams finding improbable ways to lose winnable games.

State led 17-0 in the first half before Vanderbilt clawed backFinal score 31-28 in favor of Vanderbilt after State held the lead lateVanderbilt was called for 13 penalties yet still wonKeenan Jackson had a big statistical day (fans cited 9 catches for over 100 yards) as State's top offensive weaponThis would have been State's first regular-season win over an SEC opponent since 1999

Player Assessments

CJ Bailey
mixed

Played well for most of the game (multiple long completions, TD throws to Jackson) but ended it with a baffling fumble attempt to gain yards in his own end zone with 1 second left, sealing the loss; fans are split between blaming him directly for lack of football IQ and blaming Doeren for not making instructions explicit.

Will Wilson
positive

Fan favorite ('Big Willy') who scored on a long touchdown run and was a consistent bright spot, though many felt he was underused and only trotted out in predictable, telegraphed situations late in games.

Keenan Jackson
positive

Had a breakout day as a receiver, credited with 'having himself a day' and being a reliable slant target when the offense needed a big play.

Ashton Locklear
negative

Walk-on receiver who fans were stunned to see targeted on the critical 4th-and-7 play late in the game; widely seen as a bizarre personnel choice that contributed to the collapse.

Offensive Line
mixed

Praised for pass protection and creating some room early, but criticized for a nonexistent second-half run game and appearing to 'half-block' on the final disastrous play, possibly confused about the QB's intentions.

Punter/Special Teams (Vinesett & kicker)
negative

A season-long weakness that resurfaced — short pooch kicks against a power program, a badly mis-timed 50-yard punt when a short one was needed, and general poor field position management.

Defense/Secondary
mixed

Played well for much of the first half and forced key stops, but couldn't get pressure on Vanderbilt's freshman QB Diego Curtis and suffered costly missed tackles/coverage busts in the second half and overtime-adjacent stretch.

Dave Doeren (HC)
negative

Roundly blamed for game-management failures — burning timeouts early, a questionable end-of-half sequence that let Vanderbilt score before the break, and ultimately for not clearly instructing Bailey to avoid any risk on the final play; fans called this potentially the most damaging loss of his tenure.

💬 Fan Takes

“Went to Charlottesville and saw a debacle. Today, Doeren. Prove it to me. Vandy 23-9. If State loses 35-14 or something ugly, it gets very ugly in Raleigh.”

— Fan I Sat 9:59 AM
Pregame prediction/warning that set the tone for the day's stakes

“Nothing will get ugly unfortunately. Dave's here until he doesn't want to be so nothing will change until he doesn't want to be. I've seen this movie plenty of times. Vandy will jump out to a 21-0 lead and State will scrape a claw to lose 35-17 and Dave will talk about being 'outcoached and outplayed'. Might as well already have happened”

— Fan J Sat 10:04 AM
Cynical pregame prediction that ironically inverted (State led big before collapsing)

“We're at 31 now fellas, we can all breathe…”

— Fan B Sat 3:46 PM
False sense of security right before the historic collapse began

“Send my love down to Baton Rouge”

— Fan J Sat 11:35 PM
Bittersweet aside showing State's loss got overshadowed only briefly by another chaotic SEC game

“THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR BEING IN NATE BARGATZES SHITTY FUCKING MOVIE”

— Fan H Sat 4:13 PM
Peak chaotic anger during Vanderbilt's missed field goal moment

“This is the worst loss in Dave's tenure / This is the worst loss in school history / We've been set back to an era of playing against lawyers and plumbers”

— Fan H Sat 4:30 PM
Encapsulates the immediate historic-magnitude reaction to the fumble

“The point is, this isn't about one bad beat. It's a case that many feel keeps adding evidence. It's a fan base that feels like it can see something coming before it happens, and keeps being right. People aren't furious so much as they're exhausted, and in the NIL era, where excitement and passion are what actually fund your roster, this kind of loss can be catastrophic in ways that have nothing to do with the scoreboard.”

— Fan J Sun 9:48 AM
Day-after quote capturing the resigned, exhausted mood of the fanbase

🐦 Tweets From the Thread

Posts fans shared while the game was on.

shared by Fan A · 7:22 AM
shared by Fan G · 8:57 AM
shared by Fan G · 10:08 AM
shared by Fan L · 1:44 PM
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shared by Fan AC · 4:38 PM
shared by Fan I · 4:47 PM
shared by Fan L · 4:55 PM
shared by Fan V · 4:55 PM
shared by Fan L · 5:17 PM
shared by Fan H · 5:39 PM
shared by Fan H · 5:47 PM
shared by Fan L · 6:13 PM
shared by Fan L · 6:26 PM
shared by Fan H · 7:00 PM
shared by Fan L · 7:05 PM
shared by Fan T · 7:06 PM
shared by Fan E · 7:34 PM
shared by Fan L · 7:48 PM
shared by Fan L · 7:55 PM
shared by Fan E · 8:53 PM
shared by Fan I · 12:13 AM

🖼️ Memes & Screenshots

Cheering on the Pack from Munich today
Cheering on the Pack from Munich today · Fan C · 7:57 AM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan O · 11:53 AM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan K · 12:02 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan K · 12:53 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan K · 1:56 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan K · 2:03 PM
Tits McGee still holding on to the lead
Tits McGee still holding on to the lead · Fan T · 2:58 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan N · 3:25 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan V · 3:29 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan L · 4:27 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan AE · 4:29 PM
About ready to get rid of his sleepy ass too
About ready to get rid of his sleepy ass too · Fan T · 4:31 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan H · 4:36 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan O · 4:40 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan O · 5:06 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan K · 5:36 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan K · 5:39 PM
Someone just sent me this
Someone just sent me this · Fan AI · 5:56 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan H · 6:08 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan AA · 6:21 PM
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Fan Y · 6:23 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan AJ · 6:26 PM
Pack on top of the world!
Pack on top of the world! · Fan H · 7:07 PM
Image shared in the game thread
Fan L · 8:01 PM

Community Analysis

Primary Concerns

  • Program's national reputation and recruiting/NIL fundraising fallout from viral humiliation.
  • Whether administration (AD Boo Corigan) will act on Doeren given his track record of years of similar collapses.
  • CJ Bailey's confidence/mental state and whether he should be benched for Will Wilson.
  • Declining fan trust and potential drop in attendance/donations for App State game and beyond.

Consensus Takes

  • This is the most embarrassing loss in program/school history, worse than the 24-point basketball collapse.
  • Dave Doeren's real legacy is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, not his win total.
  • CJ Bailey is at fault for the fumble but Doeren is more at fault for not making the instructions unmistakably clear.
  • The officiating (PI call, uncatchable ball ruling, spots) was inconsistent but ultimately not decisive compared to the self-inflicted errors.
  • Special teams (punter, kickoff strategy) were a season-long liability that showed up again in this game.

Calls Made in the Thread

  • Vandy will jump out to a 21-0 lead and State will scrape a claw to lose 35-17 and Dave will talk about being outcoached and outplayed (Fan J, high confidence)
  • If State loses ugly, it gets very ugly in Raleigh (Fan I, medium confidence)
  • Predicted a CJ pass batted down on the first drive as a bad omen for his game (Fan M, low confidence)
  • Predicted Vandy would score a touchdown with 1 minute left to take the lead (Fan T, high confidence)
  • Warned that Dave's clock/timeout management issues would eventually cost the team a game (Fan K, high confidence)
  • Predicted the program's recovery from this loss would be extremely difficult and the stink would follow as long as Doeren remains (Fan AJ, medium confidence)

The Morning After

😮‍💨 resigned

Sunday didn't bring much relief — if anything the community felt worse with a clearer head, having watched the fumble on repeat (one fan admitted 100+ replays) and absorbed a full day of national media mockery. The dominant theme was disbelief that a game so clearly winnable — up 17-0, up 10 in the 4th, and holding the ball with 6 seconds left needing only a knee-down — was lost on an inexplicable QB decision. Fans dissected exactly what CJ Bailey should have done (run to the back of the end zone, take the safety, throw it away) and argued about how much blame belongs to Doeren for not drilling the situation into him versus Bailey simply being unable to execute a 15-IQ football play. Calls for Doeren's firing intensified, with several fans saying no realistic win total (short of an ACC title run) could save his job given how the loss happened, and some announcing they were done watching/attending games. A counter-current of fans argued the season isn't over, Boo Corigan isn't going to fire Doeren midseason, and that the fanbase should refocus on beating App State next week to steady the ship.

Cooler Heads

  • Some argued you can't fire Dave for one bad-luck play if the roster clearly has the talent to compete with an SEC team on the road.
  • Even at 10-2/11-2 with an ACC title, several agreed the loss's infamy would follow Doeren forever and define his legacy more than any win total.
  • One fan noted this loss will get less painful to discuss only once App State week arrives, but the fumble will be replayed nationally all season.

Still Chewing On

  • Will CJ Bailey lose the locker room or get benched in favor of Will Wilson?
  • Does Boo Corigan have the will to make any staff changes (Joker, Roper) before season's end?
  • Can the fanbase's attendance/support hold up through App State week and beyond given how disillusioned fans sounded leaving the stadium?
  • Will this loss cost the team a playoff shot even if they somehow run the table the rest of the way?

🔮 What's Next

Season impact: A devastating, nationally-mocked road loss to an SEC team State was favored against, likely intensifying hot-seat pressure on Dave Doeren regardless of final record; fans widely believe even a strong ACC finish can't fully erase the reputational damage, and there's concern this loss could affect playoff/media perception even in a bounce-back scenario.

Next week vs Appalachian State at home — seen as a must-win 'get right' game and referendum on fan attendance/support.
Later matchup vs Louisville viewed as the only clearly unwinnable game left on schedule.
UNC game in Chapel Hill in two weeks looms as another measuring stick.
  • Growing fan movement calling for Doeren's firing, including calls/emails to AD Boo Corigan's office.
  • CJ Bailey's future — draft stock, benching possibility, and locker room status — now in question.
  • Program's broader trajectory amid ACC media rights uncertainty and comparisons to Clemson/FSU's post-NIL decline.
  • Special teams and clock/timeout management as a season-long, unresolved weakness.
  • National meme/viral status of the game overshadowing other major CFB storylines that day (LSU-Ole Miss, Clemson-UNC).