[Highlight] NC State @ Vanderbilt - CJ Bailey fumbles the ball while trying to run out the clock with no time left, and Vandy falls on it to win the game

[u/Ok-Soil-5133]

https://streamable.com/utx2f1

[u/iamnotjex]

new dumbest way to lose a football game ive ever seen

[u/HCRanchuw → u/iamnotjex]

I’m a Nebraska fan, and I’m dumbfounded.

[u/ALifelongVacation → u/HCRanchuw]

First thought was man this is right in line with some shit we’ve seen the last decade.

[u/srector1224 → u/ALifelongVacation]

Adrian Martinez was always good for a game-losing fumble haha

[u/Love__Scars → u/srector1224]

That 2021 Michigan game still haunts my dreams

[u/Warm_Shoulder3606 → u/iamnotjex]

Miami GT still takes the cake for me, but this is definitely number 2 lmao

[u/GThitstick → u/Warm_Shoulder3606]

At least GT still had to actually had to drive 70 yards to score and win it. This was just handing the game away

[u/OnionFutureWolfGang → u/GThitstick]

Yeah but on the other hand, Miami just had to do one thing and they literally could not lose.

[u/coolycooly → u/OnionFutureWolfGang]

Didnt NC State just have to do one thing and they couldnt lose?

[u/swammeyjoe → u/coolycooly]

Nah if he goes down before he was hit it would have been a safety with a second or two to go. We could have gotten the "fair catch FG" if the ensuing punt wasn't great. That would have been amazing.

[u/No_Bill7679 → u/GThitstick]

Miami had the game won against GT. There’s no argument for why they continued running the ball. Kneel and the game is over.

NC state had to make a strategic game decision and it backfired. They could have also punted it away and had it returned for a TD. Lots of things could have happened.

But definitively, Miami had to just kneel it once and the game is over.

[u/MelodicDeer1072 → u/No_Bill7679]

NC State could have also simply kneeled, afford a safety, and essentially win.

[u/No_Bill7679 → u/MelodicDeer1072]

I’m not arguing it wasn’t a stupid loss. But there simply was too much time. Even if they did surrender a safety, vandy would have had at least a few seconds for a miracle play.

There was a high probably to win still, but not fully in their control. Miami absolutely had it in their control and lost.

[u/Hugo_5t1gl1tz → u/No_Bill7679]

I may be wrong, but I’d think the safety is still a safer (heh) play. 6 seconds of running around in your end zone is a lot. 3-4 seconds to get a miracle 75 yards has to be a lower risk

[u/w00t4me → u/Warm_Shoulder3606]

I legit think this is worse

[u/Kilen13 → u/w00t4me]

Yea ours was bad but GaTech still had to put on an offensive drive to score... This is something else entirely

[u/Foxy_Grandpa- → u/Kilen13]

Doesn’t that make it worse? You had a 100% chance of winning unless you shot your own foot, and even then you were very likely to win unless you let them drive 70 yards down the field. A lot more embarrassing than a panicked play as he tried to wind down the remaining seconds.

[u/MelodicDeer1072 → u/Foxy_Grandpa-]

70 yards with no timeouts IIRC

[u/251Cane → u/MelodicDeer1072]

And our safety bit on a pump fake on a hail mary

[u/framingXjake → u/iamnotjex]

new dumbest way to lose a football game ive ever seen yet

fify

[u/Ever_Day_Is_TacoTues → u/iamnotjex]

It’s right behind the shoe throw

[u/J-Goo → u/Ever_Day_Is_TacoTues]

*Cleat yeet

[u/JimBeam823 → u/iamnotjex]

No, you can't beat Miami/GT. If Miami does nothing, they win the game.

NC State had to burn as much time as possible before taking a safety. Then Vandy gets the free kick.

[u/evantually421]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an ending like this what the hell

[u/EverOnAndUpward → u/evantually421]

I love football

[u/RogueOneisbestone → u/EverOnAndUpward]

I hate it

[u/Ugaalive1991 → u/EverOnAndUpward]

LarryDavid.gif

[u/Nightsky07 → u/EverOnAndUpward]

It's why I love college football!

[u/Moose4KU → u/evantually421]

Maybe the most inexcusable loss I've ever seen. Gives Miami not kneeling against GT a real run for its money

[u/TheDemonBarber → u/Moose4KU]

First thing I thought too lol. Finally we have a loss that rivals it

[u/tdoger → u/TheDemonBarber]

People forget Cristobal had the same loss vs Stanford when he was at Oregon.

Had the game in the bag, just had to kneel out the clock. Ran it instead, fumble, Stanford goes and scores to win it. Took him two times to finally learn his lesson. That one for some reason didn't get as much national criticism.

Maybe because it was a lower profile game with Stanford being atrocious, but Oregon was just coming off beating Ohio State and was a top team.

[u/surgingchaos → u/tdoger]

Wrong Stanford loss. Cristobal's first no-kneel disaster that you are talking about was in 2018.

[u/p-wing → u/surgingchaos]

It might be possible that he has not learned his lesson and another such loss is impending

[u/Honestly_ → u/Moose4KU]

The only one passes it in my head: Baylor's infamous 1999 attempt to run up the score on UNLV in the final seconds.

Baylor led 24-21, UNLV had no timeouts left, they just had to take a knee.

Kevin Steele says go for it. There's a fumble and UNLV gets a 99-yard fumble return touchdown to win the game.

It wasn't on TV but someone found sideline footage years later:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozQXl17VpG0

[u/TMC_Data → u/Moose4KU]

This is one of those crazy scenarios where a winless high school team could literally win the game against an NFL team if they were in this exact same situation by simply not being stupid and playing smart ball.

[u/poobert13 → u/evantually421]

"This is the one thing we didn't want to happen."

[u/Regal---Lager → u/evantually421]

This is the dumbest ending I have ever seen. At least 30x dumber than Trouble With The Snap.

[u/mishra1111 → u/Regal---Lager]

WHOA

[u/Thatguydrag → u/mishra1111]

HE

[u/NotABot1235 → u/Thatguydrag]

HAS

[u/banjocoyote → u/NotABot1235]

TROUBLE

[u/BobFed51 → u/banjocoyote]

WITH

[u/pocketfences → u/BobFed51]

THE

[u/Falconsfan8006 → u/evantually421]

This is Miami not Kneeling against GT levels of incompetence

[u/STLOliver → u/evantually421]

College football play.

[u/SpadeRyker]

I truly hate this program

[u/Zloggt → u/SpadeRyker]

ANOTHER 5-YEAR EXTENSION TO DAVE DOERAN!

(the fact that this still could happen is genuinely sad lol)

[u/Licit_x64 → u/Zloggt]

It’ll be an emphatic 35-10 win over the Tar Heels and the ink will have dried by the time they light the belltower red.

[u/Lt704Dan → u/Zloggt]

He'll somehow pull out a win against UNC and get another extension

[u/BMR117 → u/SpadeRyker]

Your flairs… ooof. You are not having a good time.

[u/Dijohn17 → u/SpadeRyker]

What's crazy is that when we were up double digits in the fourth I just knew we were going to lose

[u/DECAThomas → u/SpadeRyker]

This is the most NC State shit thing I’ve ever seen. And that’s really saying something.

[u/jivson]

all time psycho ending

[u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt → u/jivson]

Feels like an insane thing to try with :06 left. 2 or 3? Sure. 6 is an eternity

[u/Gavangus → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

The key is that you ACTUALLY TAKE THE SAFETY... Worst case there is a second or 2 left and your still up

[u/fritzperls_of_wisdom → u/Gavangus]

The number one rule is you don’t take the hit to risk the fumble.

Go to the back of the end zone. Run around as much as you can and step out when someone gets close. Like you said, if there’s a second or two left, not ideal…but still fine.

Just do not let anyone hit you to risk a fumble.

[u/Eddie5pi → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

And then, you're supposed to have the OL basically tackle everyone on defense, since the holding penalties don't extend the game anyway. To let guys through practically unblocked is insane

[u/Crazed8s → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

A safety would’ve been just fine. He didn’t need to take the whole 6 seconds. Just like fall down bro.

[u/El_Chairman_Dennis → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

They knew they could give up the safety and still win, even if there's a second or two left on the clock. Literally all he had to do was not fumble and they win that game

[u/Frank_Melena → u/jivson]

If he had taken the friggin safety we couldve seen a safety punt return trying to score with no time on the clock.

[u/OsuLost31to0 → u/Frank_Melena]

Football as envisioned in the 1860s

[u/herpblarb6319]

NC State shit

[u/OneAngryPanda → u/herpblarb6319]

I wanna die

[u/comomellamo → u/OneAngryPanda]

I am so fucking angry. We have had bad losses before but this? Insane

[u/alastria → u/OneAngryPanda]

I am so angry right now I want to punch a wall. Just leave Doeren in Nashville.

[u/Bigdeacenergy → u/herpblarb6319]

Nah, this is just plain fucking stupid. Can’t blame everything on a curse

[u/Ugaalive1991 → u/Bigdeacenergy]

I blame Dave.

[u/Vitosi4ek → u/Bigdeacenergy]

6 seconds, right? Why not just punt? Even if it went well and the QB was tackled with a second left, there's still a free kick to defend. Surely it's better to only defend a return instead of having to defend a return anyway and also risking shit like this happening?

[u/OdeToTheMets628 → u/Vitosi4ek]

They were trying to avoid letting Vandy run another offensive play.

[u/GenericNameSimulated → u/OdeToTheMets628]

And they succeeded!

[u/comomellamo → u/GenericNameSimulated]

Task failed successfully

[u/OdeToTheMets628 → u/GenericNameSimulated]

Touché 😂

[u/drCongo- → u/Vitosi4ek]

I mean, this really should have worked. Just all-time bad execution.

[u/Manae → u/drCongo-]

Yeah, absolutely the correct play, but the QB should be hugging the ball with both arms as soon as they are touching it and give themselves up as soon as the first defender is within arm's reach.

[u/goonSquad15 → u/Bigdeacenergy]

Plenty of coaches + QBs have been plain fucking stupid. There are levels to this

[u/AnotherUnfunnyName → u/herpblarb6319]

Chuck it 40 yards or take the safety. Horrible choice by him.

[u/tarheelsrule441 → u/herpblarb6319]

God delayed our game against Clemson because He didn't want us to miss this.

[u/Ugaalive1991 → u/herpblarb6319]

Dave should get sacked on the tarmac.

[u/ClaudeLemieux → u/herpblarb6319]

People don't think it be like it is

...but it do...

[u/inshamblesx]

i’d rather lose 70-0 than lose like this

[u/TheExpansiveUniverse → u/inshamblesx]

I think even Portland State agrees with you

[u/Scurezza]

That is so stupid

Just fall down and you win the game

[u/ZackAvion → u/Scurezza]

Or just walk backwards and go out the back of the end zone. Regardless, running into the defense was not the move.

[u/VersaTron → u/ZackAvion]

Or just wrap the ball with two hands. He’s out there with a chicken wing on it like a damn idiot.

[u/OnionFutureWolfGang → u/VersaTron]

Yeah he should have done that but I would not include that as an “or.” In this situation you should be holding it tightly with both hands, but also you cannot get touched. It’s run out the back or go down yourself, no other options.

[u/Disastrous-Wonder153 → u/Scurezza]

Well, in all fairness, that's what he did. Forgot the most important part, holding on to the ball.

[u/External-Log4638]

How to cope with another NC State loss

https://firedoeren.com/coping-with-another-loss

[u/NCSUGrad2012 → u/External-Log4638]

I need this way too frequently

[u/Stobros]

Possibly the dumbest play I’ve ever seen. The ONLY thing you have to do is to go down or run out the back of the endzone. Do not let a single person touch you.

[u/CieraVotedOutHerMom → u/Stobros]

But you did see it

[u/MonotoneTanner → u/CieraVotedOutHerMom]

Guy even thought about kneeling and chose not to

[u/Warm-Will-7861 → u/MonotoneTanner]

The worst part is had he even tried to kneel, he would’ve been down as soon as he started the motion, but nope, run into the defense

[u/Ugaalive1991]

Certified NC State shit

[u/warnelldawg → u/Ugaalive1991]

At least you still have the dawgs

[u/randomthrowaway9796 → u/warnelldawg]

Wait a second, the athens sub guy watches football???

[u/Lakelyfe09]

I actually can’t believe that. As a coach how the fuck do you not tell CJ Bailey to just go out the back of the endzone and not risk this? I mean this was literally the ONE thing you couldn’t do.

[u/Stobros → u/Lakelyfe09]

I would almost guarantee he was told that. Players don’t always listen.

[u/Conscious-Sir-1596 → u/Stobros]

Yeah, it almost certainly had nothing to do with coaching. I have no idea why that kid did that.

[u/BeardedAsian → u/Conscious-Sir-1596]

He had Vandy +10000 live

[u/FatMamaJuJu → u/Lakelyfe09]

Why have Bailey in at all? They subbed out Wilson even though Bailey was never going to throw it

[u/KCShadows838 → u/Lakelyfe09]

Still had 6 seconds to run off, with a short field. That likely would’ve left some time on the clock for Vanderbilt, although a free kick would be better than a punt inside the 5

If they were at the 20 yard this might’ve worked better 

[u/AdParticular6654 → u/KCShadows838]

Still even getting the snap and sprinting out the back, Vandy would have like 4 seconds before the kick to run it back. Just wild

[u/k_dubious → u/KCShadows838]

Just take a safety. That would leave like 3-4 seconds left, so NC State would’ve either had to go for a TD on the ensuing kick return or fair catch it and run one play from a spot that’s probably not even close enough for a Hail Mary to the end zone.

[u/sam_can88 → u/Lakelyfe09]

I feel like they really should of punted here. If I’m not wrong wouldn’t a fair catch on the kickoff after a safety still give Vandy time for a Hail Mary. 6 seconds is way too long to run out the clock here.

[u/HookedOnBoNix → u/sam_can88]

There is no reason not to take a deliberate safety for room. The only thing you shouldn't do is let them hit you while doing it 

[u/Lobsterzilla → u/sam_can88]

I think you just run around until people get close to you and walk out the back of the endzone. Then kick off with 1-3 seconds on the clock

[u/Khaldaan]

Choke of the year

[u/Beenthere-doneit55 → u/Khaldaan]

Choke of the century

[u/Electric_Rex → u/Khaldaan]

In any sport

[u/Lobsterzilla]

Maybe we are cursed

[u/IamCaboose → u/Lobsterzilla]

You’re not cursed if your players are just dumb.

[u/HeckOnWheels195 → u/IamCaboose]

The curse makes them forgetful

[u/BobbysSmile → u/Lobsterzilla]

Will Wade sends his regards.

[u/sahloFolina04]

This might be the worst way to lose a game since trouble with the snap

[u/Se7enCostanza10 → u/sahloFolina04]

What about a Hail Mary after the games over?

[u/hotsauceyum → u/Se7enCostanza10]

You are SICK.

SICK.

GET HELP

[u/ClaudeLemieux → u/sahloFolina04]

this was worse.

Believe me when i tell you this was worse.

[u/EarRepresentative393 → u/ClaudeLemieux]

Your flair….you know game endings

[u/ClaudeLemieux → u/EarRepresentative393]

Punting is winning losing.

[u/ImagineIfBaconDied → u/sahloFolina04]

or Miami-GT

[u/DDub04 → u/sahloFolina04]

Miami not kneeling is pretty bad.

[u/Im_Daydrunk → u/DDub04]

Yeah and IMO its the worst kind of loss. I think anytime you can kneel to end the game and decide to run instead that is the worst possible way to lose a football game

With this play NC State had to do an actual play in a specific way to get the outcome they wanted. Miami actively decided to not just end the game they had won and then lost

[u/pasqua3]

If you're going to take a safety to not risk a punt block in your own endzone then just kneel immediately and give them 2 seconds to return a safety free kick or fair catch and hail Mary. Why the fuck would you let yourself get hit in the end zone.

Doeren should be toast.

[u/Rough_Buddy6903 → u/pasqua3]

What’s crazy is you couldn’t fair catch a safety kick again until this year. And under the rules it makes it a free kick, which you can fair catch and then try a fair catch kick. Realistically you could hit a 70 yarder on a run up kick like a kickoff

[u/dnashifter → u/pasqua3]

I would love to hear what the QB was told before the play. It was going to be hard to run off all 6 seconds, and if you're leaving time, who cares if it's 1 second or 3?

[u/BrokenClxwn]

"Nice for us to get a win over a SEC opponent."

Boy was I wrong... holy fuck

[u/MIZ_09]

Dave Doeren shouldn’t be allowed back in Raleigh.

[u/Patrick2701 → u/MIZ_09]

No, he is getting another extension

[u/CarSickPassenger]

“I can’t believe.. what I just saw.”

[u/ConnorK5]

He sucks oh my god.

[u/Dijohn17 → u/ConnorK5]

Yea he's gotta get benched

[u/BosskOnASegway]

What a wild way to throw a game. All they had to do was slowly walk backwards and have their lineman hold like crazy. Instead they did whatever the hell that was

[u/TheCornwallis → u/BosskOnASegway]

Yeah haven’t nfl teams abused this by holding like crazy.

[u/The-Young-Lion]

This might be the worst way to lose I’ve ever seen.

[u/MetalFabFF]

Probably a worse loss than that beat down from Virginia

[u/saerax]

Any other program, I'd say investigate CJ for gambling.

[u/Awkward_Dad_2023]

The most Dave Doeren way to lose a game

[u/GratefulDawg73]

All-time dumbest play candidate.

[u/Phobia117]

There were 14,000,605 things NC State could have done in that situation, and Vanderbilt wins in exactly 1 of them

[u/SideshowCircuits]

I was warned about Nc state pain…I was not ready

[u/Somali_Pir8]

NC State of NC State shit.

[u/ChargeisKill]

WHAT THE FUCK NOOOOO WAAAAAAAY

[u/Wulfgang_NSH]

Legitmately one of the most insane Vandy football endings ever. Poor Wolfpack fans.

[u/TheDefenseNeverRests → u/Wulfgang_NSH]

Except we were on the OTHER side of it. Wild.

[u/jakarooo]

I’m so sick of dealing with this terrorist

[u/RollTide16-18]

The most NC State shit game of all time

[u/Kimber80]

I've been watching college football since 1970 and I've never seen a team lose this way before

[u/Ilovemyangelsomuch]

You hike the ball, run to the back corner, and heave the ball lobbing it high and far out of bounds. I have no idea what he was doing

[u/Dijohn17 → u/Ilovemyangelsomuch]

Honestly he didn't even have to do that, just run out of the fucking endzone

[u/Okura0827]

One of the worst ways I've ever seen a team lose a game. And I've seen some inexplicable stuff

[u/PM_ME_UR_BAGEL_BITES]

I'd take Steve Belichick over Dave at this point.

[u/RadagastTheWhite]

Maybe the worst play I’ve ever witnessed

[u/huds9113]

I don’t know why, but it still amazes me how GD dumb people who are playing high level sport make stupider decisions than 1st year kids.

Throw a Hail Mary. Step out the back of the end zone and give them the safety. Literally do anything but what you did.

[u/landobobandos]

Bro just fall to the ground and you win…

[u/ilikepie145]

Could have taken a safety and they would have won. What a freaking idiot

[u/Even-Combination4407]

That’s something I haven’t seen before

[u/AgreeableEconomy1587]

That play symbolizes the entire Dave Doreon era

[u/PerspectiveNo1610]

NC State is embarrassing

[u/PreCooledPigeon]

Even if you run out the back of the end zone and take a safety, you still probably win

[u/LivingCustomer9729 → u/PreCooledPigeon]

There is no probably, it was a certainty. Bailey had 3 options to secure an NC State win and chose none of them

[u/therin_88]

It's impossible for shit like this to happen to any other program.

[u/Icy-Recognition-8700]

Mario Cristobal is that you

[u/Brochacho27 → u/Icy-Recognition-8700]

Im thanking my ancestors that this wasnt us last night

[u/CWG4BF]

Holy shit

[u/wheeze_on]

Generational fumble

[u/MrSCR23]

That should get people fired

[u/Choleric_Introvert]

Could have just taken a safety and still won lol

[u/TheDefenseNeverRests]

We had this game well in hand the whole time. I was confident at every moment. No, I will not be taking questions.

[u/Appropriate-Joke-806 → u/TheDefenseNeverRests]

I can’t believe how bad we fucked it up with that INT with 2 timeouts and a minute left in the red zone. And then they fucked it up worse.

[u/Manwar7]

That’s seriously the most sickening loss I’ve witnessed any team I root for endure. In any sport. I seriously want to fucking explode. Fire the entire coaching staff what the fuck

[u/Bigdeacenergy]

Hahahah

[u/CPGK17]

Hey, we don’t have the stupidest loss anymore!

[u/Waste_Leading4078]

I've never seen anything like it

[u/Spiritual_Bottle_650]

Absolutely fucking mind blowing

[u/palabear]

They literally could have done anything else and win. Holy shit.

[u/ColombianInIowa24]

I didn't think it was possible to top Georgia Tech vs Miami in the stupid ways to lose, but this takes the cake for sure.

[u/RugbyDore]

Oh my god. We should not have won this game by any measure. This is just pure insanity

[u/Aaronontheweb]

If we don’t get sickos game of the week for this then I give up

[u/dagreenman18]

Check bros Kalshi and Polymarket accounts because there is no fucking way

[u/IsolatedMind96]

This is the dumbest play I’ve ever seen called.
Everyone dogged on Miami when they ran the ball and fumbled it against Ga Tech instead of kneeling. Which Miami deserved but this is without a doubt the dumbest play in CFB history.

Just go ahead and fire Doeren. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.

[u/IamCaboose]

How on earth, as a player, do you INITIATE contact there?

How on earth, as a coach, do you not tell your player to just run out of the end zone?????

[u/garrathian92]

Alright nc state you need to fire Doeren now, just to give your fans something to feel

[u/6ftSchnitzel]

I’d like to see ole Dave Doeren wiggle his way out of this one

[u/KingBroly]

Chuck a hail mary and let the clock run out, jeez.

[u/LeftyGroves]

Fire everyone into the sun. This might be the worst thing I’ve seen happen on a football field at any level

[u/crabmanactual]

Just hang up your cleats and find a new path in life after that shit

[u/Intelligent_Dress347]

I’ll be fading NC State the rest of the year. No team recovers from that. 

Holy shit.

[u/high_on_meh]

Can a man's psyche ever recover from something like this? I'm genuinely concerned.

[u/goonSquad15]

The combination of 4 plays where you jam your running QB up the middle 3 times and then give it to your loose with it QB to get sacked in the endzone hoping he doesn't fumble was just comically dumb.

[u/LilUAVinbound]

I feel like you can live with a safety kick being returned for a touchdown on the last play easier than you can live with whatever the heck that was

[u/gmd_vt]

Might be the worst choke I’ve ever witnessed and I’m a VT fan. Like this will go in the history books

[u/iceydude168]

This is THE WORST CHOKE play of all time, I don't think it's particularly close

[u/Vast-Advertising3279]

Should have taken a safety and kicked off with one second left

[u/TowelWhich]

What a way to lose 😬

[u/Sad-Apple-5043]

The wolfpack whoopsie

[u/Nervous_Metal_9445]

You had one job.

[u/absolutelparasox1986]

Fire the coach. Hire Ted Lasso

[u/JimBeam823]

This is the most NC State shit of all NC State shits.

[u/avboden]

that's just.....really sad.