Vanderbilt just pulled off a stunning 35-31 victory over NC State, and if you saw the ending, you know why the Wolfpack’s Week 3 loss is going to haunt them forever. They delivered “arguably the worst final football play of all time,” a colossal screw-up that nobody in college football is going to forget anytime soon.
NC State’s Unbelievable Self-Sabotage
Seriously, you can’t make this up. NC State had a three-point lead with only seconds left. All quarterback CJ Bailey had to do was fall down, take a safety, and they win. That was the call! Instead, Bailey tried to be a hero, scrambling to buy time, and what happened next? Vanderbilt stripped the ball, recovered it in the end zone with one second left, and walked away with a stunning 35-31 victory. It’s an utter embarrassment. How do you recover? Coach Dave Doeren finds himself squarely on the hottest of seats, and frankly, after this kind of debacle, there’s no path forward for him.
Keelon Russell Shines, Chambliss Makes History
While NC State was melting down, some QBs were absolutely balling out. Alabama’s Keelon Russell, a first-year starter, finally had that breakout four-quarter performance. He’s flashed prodigious talent, but consistency has been the question. Not on Saturday. Florida State came ready to play against the No. 10 Crimson Tide, but Russell delivered after they went down 15 points. That’s the kind of grit Alabama needs.
And then there’s Ole Miss senior QB Trinidad Chambliss. We’re talking history here. His start against No. 7 LSU will be remembered forever in Oxford if the Rebels can survive the second-half. The spotlight was supposed to be on former coach Lane Kiffin, but Chambliss stole the show, completing 15-of-19 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown. The Rebels were up a stunning 17-0 at halftime, and Chambliss’s otherworldly ability to create on the run was a huge reason why!
Louisville Takes Control, Kentucky Grabs a Top 10 Win
Week 3 wasn’t just about QBs, though. No. 23 Louisville beat No. 16 SMU, and that’s huge. They just took control of the ACC title race, putting themselves in prime position early. And in Kentucky, coach Will Stein snagged his program’s first top 10 victory. That’s a massive moment for that team. Oh, and No. 13 Texas Tech barely scraped by No. 22 Houston in an instant classic, while No. 5 Miami’s QB Darian Mensah dropped a nearly record-setting performance. What a crazy Saturday!
The dust is still settling on a wild Week 3, with No. 7 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss battling it out, Auburn and Florida locked in a fight, and BYU trying to outlast Colorado State. But the performances we saw from Russell and Chambliss? Those are the kind of moments that define a season. For NC State and Dave Doeren, though, the biggest question is simply, “What now?” You can’t come back from that without some serious soul-searching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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