Vanderbilt left NC State with a win that felt impossible until the final snap, and that kind of finish doesn’t just change a scoreboard. It changes the mood around a team heading into Week 4 at Auburn.
The Commodores were down to their last play in a 35-31 road win, and even then they needed chaos to finish the job. Vanderbilt EDGE Miles Capers knocked the ball loose from NC State quarterback CJ Bailey in the end zone on the final snap, and cornerback Cayden Daniels scooped it up for the game-winning touchdown. There was still one second left, but the Wolfpack’s final lateral-heavy attempt ended up in Vanderbilt’s hands anyway.
That’s the sort of mistake that leaves NC State offensive coordinator Kurt Roper taking plenty of heat. For Vanderbilt, though, it was pure relief and celebration after a dramatic escape.
Now the Commodores head to Jordan-Hare Stadium unbeaten, with an ACC win in their pocket after opening the year with victories over Delaware and FCS Austin Peay. The jump in competition is obvious now. Auburn is a different test entirely.
Much of the attention lands on freshman quarterback Jared Curtis after his first career start. He threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions and went through some uneven stretches.
Still, he showed plenty of backbone by helping Vanderbilt climb out of a 17-point second-half hole. The defense ultimately finished the job, but Curtis showed he could keep swinging.
That matters, because Week 4 brings a far harsher environment. Curtis got through an NC State defense that didn’t generate much pass rush or havoc, but Auburn under DJ Durkin is built differently. He has not seen athletes like Xavier Atkins or Elijah Melendez coming after him through the A-gap.
So the challenge shifts sharply for Vanderbilt’s quarterback, and for the team as a whole.
The same is true for Auburn. What might have looked like a manageable matchup against a Vanderbilt team sitting near the bottom of the SEC now looks much different. The Commodores are carrying momentum, confidence, and the buzz that comes from stealing a game at the last possible second.
That changes the feel of the matchup. Auburn can’t treat this one like a letdown spot anymore. Tennessee on Rocky Top still waits the following week, but Week 4 no longer looks like a game to glance past.
Vanderbilt may have found more than a win in Raleigh. It may have found enough momentum to make Auburn pay attention.
In Other News...
Auburns SEC Opener Exposed A Problem Tigers Cant Ignore
Auburns SEC opener against Florida offered an early look at where the Tigers stand, and it was not a flattering one. The 44-39 loss left Auburn 2-1 overall and 0-1 in league play, with the defense repeatedly struggling to get off the field and Florida finding answers in the kind of situations that usually decide close conference games.
The late rally kept the Tigers in it, but the offense was too uneven to fully cover for the problems on the other side of the ball. For head coach Alex Golesh, this was the first major SEC test, and Auburn came away with a clear reminder that competing in this league demands more consistency, especially when the margin for error is already so thin. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Comeback Chances Hinge On Fixing Two Costly Problems
Auburn heads into halftime trailing Florida 20-17 at home, and the margin reflects a first half that left the Tigers with too much to clean up on both sides of the ball. The game has already pointed to two areas that need attention quickly: keeping quarterback Byrum Brown in rhythm and tightening a run defense that has already had to deal with Florida backs Jaden Baugh and Duke Clark.
The secondary also has to do a better job of limiting explosive plays, because Florida has shown enough to keep Auburn under pressure even with the crowd behind it. If the Tigers are going to turn this into a comeback, they will need a more consistent defensive stretch in the second half, not just a few stops here and there. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Florida Captains Reveal Who Alex Golesh Trusts Most
Auburns SEC opener against Florida comes with a familiar leadership group at the front of the huddle. The Tigers have announced five captains for the game, and Byrum Brown and Elijah Melendez will serve in that role for the third straight week, joined by Jake Johnson, Cody Sigler and Alex McPherson. It is another clear sign of which players Alex Golesh is leaning on as the pressure rises.
The captaincy list also says plenty about how this team is being organized going into one of the seasons most important early tests. Repeating Brown and Melendez suggests continuity, while the addition of Johnson, Sigler and McPherson broadens the leadership base in a matchup where details tend to matter. For Auburn, the bigger question is whether that trust shows up on the field once the opener gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]