Opponent performance: Vanderbilt pulls off new ‘Music City Miracle’ against NC State
Heading into the final Saturday of the month of September, the Auburn Tigers are sitting at 2-1 overall and 0-1 in SEC play after a defeat to the Florida Gators last Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Tigers now close out the month with its homecoming game against the Vanderbilt Commodores, a team they have not beaten since 2023 in Nashville.
Vanderbilt enters the game with a 3-0 record after creating a new “Music City Miracle” on Saturday, winning as time expired against the North Carolina State Wolfpack 35-31.
The Wolfpack put on an early showing in this SEC/ACC showdown, driving down the field on their first drive of the game and getting a 38-yard run from Will Wilson to start the scoring a 7-0.
Then, near the end of the first quarter, NC State struck again as quarterback CJ Bailey fired a pass to Keenan Jackson for a 30-yard score with 2:58 left.
In the second quarter, Kanoah Vinesett knocked home a 24-yard field to extend the lead to 17-0, putting the Commodores in a big hole at home.
Vanderbilt finally got on the board though with 12 seconds left in the half when freshman quarterback Jared Curtis put up a 12-yard pass to Junior Sherrill, who reeled it in to make it 17-7.
The Wolfpack got that touchdown back in the middle of the third quarter, extending their lead back to 17 with a 6-yard pass from Bailey to Jackson for a touchdown.
The Commodores soon cut it to 10 again on the ensuing possession, as a 4-play, 75-yard drive was capped off by a 7-yard carry from Makhilyn Young, making it 24-14.
The fourth quarter saw things turn up a notch though, as the points started rolling in consistently for the first time all game.
Nearly two minutes into the final period, Alexander caught a 10-yard pass from Curtis and strolled in the end zone to cut things to 24-21. However, Jackson made it a hat trick for NC State with a 23-yard catch on the next drive, giving the Wolfpack a little bit more comfort at 31-21.
Vanderbilt responded to that score with a big drive of its own, embracing the pressure and getting another big play from Sherrill, who secured a 43-yard catch and run from Curtis to put the score at 31-28 with 6:18 left.
Just when things looked iced though with a few seconds left in the game, NC State was backed up to its own end zone, and when Bailey rolled right on a play to try and take a safety and let clock expire, Miles Capers forced a fumble, that was recovered by cornerback Cayden Daniels to give the Commodores the lead and the miracle win, 35-31.
In his first start of his college career, Curtis finished 20-for-34 with 277 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, earning a 48.6 quarterback rating for the day.
The ground attack churned out 132 yards for the day, with Curtis also being the leading rusher with 12 carries for 64 yards. Alexander was the leader among the Vanderbilt running backs, notching seven runs for 53 yards. Young had the lone rushing touchdown of the game.
Sherrill was the leading receiver on both sides for the day, putting up six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while Tristen Brown also had a solid day with four receptions for 81 yards.
Three Commodores led Clark Lea’s squad in tackles, with CJ Heard, Mason Lewis and Ricardo Jones all totaling eight total tackles. Nick Rinaldi, meanwhile, was the only Vanderbilt player credited with a sack as part of his five tackles.
Auburn will play the Commodores for the fourth year in a row on Saturday, with the kick being set for 3:15 p.m. CST from Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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