NC State QB CJ Bailey's late fumble vs. Vandy rewrote a 1,046-1 college football stat

Within seconds of the play happening, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey's endzone fumble with under 10 seconds remaining was called the worst loss in college football history. Fans of any and all teams across the country continued to take that stance in the minutes and hours after the Wolfpack lost to

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Within seconds of the play happening, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey's endzone fumble with under 10 seconds remaining was called the worst loss in college football history. Fans of any and all teams across the country continued to take that stance in the minutes and hours after the Wolfpack lost to Vanderbilt on Saturday, in a way so unfathomable it felt like something out of a movie.

With six seconds remaining, NC State led by three points, with the ball inside their own five-yard line on 4th and 7; Bailey simply had to take the snap and do virtually anything other than fumble or throw an interception. He could have taken a knee in the end zone, run out of the back of it, and given up a safety—simply put, Bailey needed to avoid letting anyone

touch him.

Instead, fans witnessed a moment that set the internet on fire.

Throw the ball out of bounds. Lay down on the ground.

There is one way you can lose the game and NC State did it. How how how how how how how. pic.twitter.com/s1i0TY5Q3l

— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) September 19, 2026

Vanderbilt's Miles Capers knocked the ball loose from Bailey before he could get down, and Cayden Daniels recovered in the end zone to pull off a stunning 35-31 victory.

While this finish from NC State checks in as one of the worst losses in sports history, it may actually prove to be the worst, given one unique and eye-opening statistic that surfaced postgame. Over the last 20 years, in games where a team had the ball with the lead and under 10 seconds remaining, that side was 1,046-1 before today, with the lone outlier being a fumble on a punt in 2015 between Michigan and Michigan State.

NC State made that record 1,046-2.

Teams are 1046-1 entering today with the lead & the ball with 10 seconds remaining

Now 1046-2

2015: Michigan State trouble with the snap
2026: NC State vs Vanderbilt
— CFB Home (@CFBHome) September 19, 2026

The probability of NC State losing in that situation was close to 0%, if not for one chaotic finish 11 years ago. It's a brutal loss for the Wolfpack and one that drops them to 1-2 on the season, with ACC play just around the corner after next week's game against Appalachian State.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NC State QB CJ Bailey's late fumble vs. Vandy rewrote a 1,046-1 college football stat