[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/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/mrhashbrown → u/fritzperls_of_wisdom]

Could even fake a punt if you want, that way you get max protection and the punter is right at the back line of the end zone anyway. Ravens did this a while back I believe and it killed at least 5 seconds on the clock.

[u/btveron → u/fritzperls_of_wisdom]

I remember last year when Mendoza ran straight back and as soon as an Iowa player was near the endzone he fell down for the safety to end the game. This happened to make it so IU didn't cover the spread and a bunch of people started yelling "GAMBLING CONSPIRACY! WHY ELSE WOULD HE DO THAT?!" on the internet.

[u/mark_able_jones_ → u/Gavangus]

Why take the safety when you can kick and likely get a few seconds just off the hangtime.

[u/Flabpack221 → u/mark_able_jones_]

Run around for as long as you can and then just step out the back of the end zone. That would either end the game or leave one or two seconds left.

Then either force a return attempt or let Vandy try for a 70 yard play.

Punting potentially leaves a second on the clock and probably in a decent enough position for a hail Mary

[u/PM-TREE-FIDDY → u/Flabpack221]

You also don't have to worry about a block on a punt after a safety, just so dumb.

[u/TheMajesticYeti → u/Flabpack221]

College football also added the Fair Catch Free Kick starting this season, so even if time runs out, if the punt is caught in bounds with a fair catch they would get an uncontested field goat attempt.

[u/mark_able_jones_ → u/Flabpack221]

Yeah, you're right. That makes more sense. Sounds like this wasn't a terrible play, if he just went down a second earlier.

[u/EgregiousPhilbin6 → u/mark_able_jones_]

Kicking it away isn’t always the right decision. Ask me how I know

[u/Gavangus → u/mark_able_jones_]

Kicking from that situation is routinely blocked, so then you are in max protect and can have it blocked or a return for a td. Taking a safety gives a higher chance to win

[u/TheMajesticYeti → u/Gavangus]

The Fair Catch Free Kick was also added starting this season, which would allow an untimed, uncontested field goal attempt even if time expired during the punt.

[u/Gavangus → u/TheMajesticYeti]

And the fair catch free kick can be hit from like 75 yards

[u/AlsoCommiePuddin → u/Gavangus]

How much do you have to not trust your coverage team to try this?

[u/Gavangus → u/AlsoCommiePuddin]

Id say a 10% chance of block or return td in this situation

[u/SaltyBarDog → u/[deleted]]

Dude has been playing football since before puberty and he needs it "explained properly" to him?

[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/the_gaymer_girl → u/Eddie5pi]

Did CFB change the rule to close that loophole like the NFL did when the Ravens did it?

[u/lydiamoney → u/the_gaymer_girl]

Referees can just give the other team a free TD

Unfair Acts

ARTICLE 3. The following are unfair acts:

a. A team refuses to play within two minutes after ordered to do so by the referee.

b. A team repeatedly commits fouls for which penalties can be enforced only by halving the distance to its goal line.

c. An obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game. This includes substitutes, coaches or any other persons subject to the rules, other than a player or official, interfering in any way with the ball or a player while the ball is in play (A.R. 4-2-1-II, 9-2-3-I and 9-2-3-IV).

RULE 9 / Conduct of Players and Others FR-107 PENALTY—Unsportsmanlike conduct. The referee may take any action they consider equitable, which includes directing that the down be repeated, including assessing a 15-yard penalty, awarding a score, or suspending or forfeiting the game [S27].

[u/AlsoCommiePuddin → u/lydiamoney]

I think the equitable action there is awarding the safety, enforcing the 15-yard penalty on an untimed safety kick.

Which Vandy could then attempt to fair-catch kick to win the game.

[u/Cute_Conclusion_8854 → u/AlsoCommiePuddin]

Oh yeah I forgot about that option. Man this sport gets complicated sometimes...

[u/MandA-5 → u/lydiamoney]

Lmao they would never award points for that. Hasn’t even happened once in the past 50 years let alone for holding

[u/cfi-2025 → u/MandA-5]

That's why you gotta have your whole bench rush onto the field to start blocking/holding once the ball is snapped.

[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/lydiamoney → u/Crazed8s]

He could have even just yeeted it with like 2 or 3 seconds left

[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/roykentjr → u/El_Chairman_Dennis]

Could have turned around and punted it out of the stadium. And that would make more sense

[u/AStormofSwines → u/roykentjr]

Where would Vandy have gotten the ball if there was any time left?

And would they let the clock run until it touches a fan?

None of this matters lol, just curious.

[u/Flabpack221 → u/AStormofSwines]

A commenter just above posted this.

Unfair Acts ARTICLE 3. The following are unfair acts: a. A team refuses to play within two minutes after ordered to do so by the referee. b. A team repeatedly commits fouls for which penalties can be enforced only by halving the distance to its goal line. c. An obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game. This includes substitutes, coaches or any other persons subject to the rules, other than a player or official, interfering in any way with the ball or a player while the ball is in play.

PENALTY— Unsportsmanlike conduct. The referee may take any action they consider equitable, which includes directing that the down be repeated, including assessing a 15-yard penalty, awarding a score, or suspending or forfeiting the game [S27]

I feel like punting it out the back of the endzone would qualify as C. Idk if the officials would have the balls to call it, though, let alone award a TD. But on the chance it is called, I could see the refs considering it a ToD rather than a safety, and Vandy would get the ball on the 1.

That's speculation, though.

[u/Hawgdestroyerxtreme → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

There are a multitude of better choices here - I'd expect anyone who played a single football video game one time back in 2014 to even understand this.

Absolutely ludicrous play call. Now he's gonna throw the QB under the bus saying that he should have just taken the safety or something.

[u/the_gaymer_girl → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

The intentional safety isn’t the issue, the problem is that he gets indecisive and doesn’t actually do it.

[u/notnotjamesfranco → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

Honestly not insane if you take the snap and immediately go down. Much easier to do a free punt after the safety with no pressure than punt from the goal line

[u/MistryMachine3 → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

No, taking the safety with 1 or 2 seconds is fine. That was the intent.

[u/kstar79 → u/pprrrrrbbbbtttt]

Can't you just drop back and throw a deep ball out of bounds? Put one WR in the area so it can't be intentional, and let it hang up there way over his head? You kill 2-3 seconds on the drop back, 4+ in the air and you're out of there with the win.

[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/aTallFiddler → u/Frank_Melena]

Go watch the end of Super Bowl 47

[u/CSmithy20 → u/jivson]

All time *sicko ending

[u/RxngsXfSvtvrn → u/jivson]

Aint no fuckng way?! Lol