Week 3 handed college football fans a fresh batch of misery, and a few fan bases took it harder than the rest. From a collapse that looked impossible to a pair of top-10 teams suffering their first losses, there was no shortage of bad feelings around the sport.
No one had a rougher finish than NC State. The Wolfpack turned what looked like a safe lead into a stunning loss, capped by a last-play sequence that ended in a Vanderbilt touchdown and a Vanderbilt victory. Given that teams with a lead, the ball, and 10 seconds or less left had gone 1,046-1 over the last 20 years, the defeat landed exactly the way you’d expect: brutally.
Things you could have done1. Thrown a bomb2.
Punted it3. Kneeled it4.
Run it out of the back of the endzoneThings you couldn’t have doneThat
Even after all that, there was still a strange sense that Carter Finley would be packed next Saturday night and again the week after. That’s college football for you - the pain hits hard, but the routine keeps rolling.
Fans didn’t hide how done they felt with the program.
“Yea this was the straw for me. Won’t watch next week, no plan to waste my money to bring my son to our annual game, and won’t be scheduling around viewing any more games with this coaching staff.
Just can’t do it, it’s legit not good for my mental health. I wish it were different”
“Can't believe that NC State has started the season so poorly. Far too much talent in Raleigh for this to be happening.
The facilities are good enough. Money has been invested in the football program.
It's time for a serious change within the program. Today's loss was embarrassing”
Texas A&M gave its fans a different kind of misery. The Aggies went in as a 16.5-point favorite against Kentucky and lost by 10 in a game that never really felt close.
The worst stretch came in the third quarter, when Kentucky ripped off a 28-7 lead after the teams had been tied 7-7. With the loss, Texas A&M’s run as the No. 9 team in the nation was done, and the reaction was immediate.
“16 total yards in the 3rd quarter for Texas A&M. While being outscored 21-0 in our own crib.There's not enough lipstick in the world to put on this pig.
No glass half full, even from me. This is an unmitigated disaster.
#BTHOkentucky 👍🏈”
“I will never again listen to off season nonsense about any part of Texas A&M football. It’s complete blasphemy year after year. Enough is enough.”
“Nothing flukey about it, you just let Kentucky come in here with a first year coach and kick your ass. They were more physical, better prepared, better coached. On top of that, the QB is actually worse than last year and can’t complete basic throws with any level of…”
LSU’s loss to Ole Miss brought a different flavor of disappointment. Lane Kiffin’s team got rolling after LSU fell behind 24-7, and the Tigers fought back to tie it before losing 32-24 in Oxford. For a fan base that had bought into CFP and even national championship hopes, the result hit like a punch to the gut.
“@PGuy77 I do not believe LSU will overcome this game. It will define them for this season.
Still looks like an 8-4 season. After tonight, I believe they will drop either the Florida or Mississippi State game, which will mean seven wins.
Sad that the year ended so early.”
“LSU went out sad. Played too much catch up with Ole Miss.
LSU got back into the game just to not hold the line and buckle when it came down to the biggest moment. Smh”
“LSU has been one of my favorites for a long time. But Kiffin deserved that loss. I hate disloyalty.”
In Other News...
NC State Let A Seemingly Safe Finish Turn Into A Nightmare
It looked for all the world like NC State was about to escape with a narrow road win, the kind of finish coaches spend all week rehearsing and players still find a way to make messy. Instead, the closing sequence turned into a collapse, with Vanderbilt finishing off a 35-31 victory on a last-second fumble recovery touchdown after the Wolfpack had tried to bleed out the final play.
The irony is that the game also featured a breakthrough performance from true freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, who made his first career start and passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns while adding 64 yards on the ground. But Dave Doeren later confirmed NC State had intended to take an intentional safety at the end, and the indecision at quarterback changed everything in a flash, leaving the Wolfpack to absorb a loss that will linger far longer than the final score. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Just Turned A Routine Finish Into A Brutal Loss
For most of the night, NC State had the game where it wanted it, protecting a slim lead and moving toward what looked like a routine finish. The Wolfpack even had a chance to bleed out the final seconds rather than give Vanderbilt any extra life, a choice that seemed to fit the moment and the scoreboard.
Instead, the ending turned on one chaotic snap near the goal line, when a fumble in the end zone flipped everything in an instant. Vanderbilt pounced on it for a touchdown and walked away with a 35-31 win, a stunning escape that also snapped a long skid in games where the Commodores had trailed by double digits in the fourth quarter. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Let A Road Win Slip Away In Brutal Fashion
NC State had more than enough offense to leave Nashville with a road win, with quarterback CJ Bailey throwing for 275 yards and three touchdowns and Keenan Jackson hauling in all three of those scoring strikes. The Wolfpack led early, stayed in control for much of the night at FirstBank Stadium, and still found itself in position to close things out after building a late edge.
Instead, the finish turned cruel in a hurry. Vanderbilt forced a fumble and turned it into the decisive touchdown with one second left, turning what looked like a solid ACC road victory into a 35-31 loss for NC State. For a team that did a lot right for most of the game, the final sequence left the Wolfpack walking away with little more than frustration and a reminder of how quickly a road game can swing. [Read more 🡒]