How NC State turned certain win into heartbreaking loss at Vanderbilt
North Carolina State suffered a dramatic loss to Vanderbilt after a failed attempt to run out the clock with an intentional safety. The play resulted in a fumble and a game-winning touchdown for Vanderbilt in the final seconds.
Why it matters
The game highlights the high-stakes nature of college football strategy and the rarity of such late-game collapses in professional and collegiate sports.
Hear this story Even in a sport like college football , where the unexpected regularly becomes the ordinary, North Carolina State came up with an inventive way to lose a heartbreaker.
Nursing a three-point lead in their Week 3 game at Vanderbilt and facing a fourth-and-7 from their own 4-yard line with six seconds remaining, the Wolfpack opted to run an offensive play rather than punt it away.
The reasoning behind it was sound enough — waste enough time and have quarterback CJ Bailey go down in the end zone for an intentional safety with no time remaining on the clock to earn a one-point victory.
Things didn't quite go according to plan, though.
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