NASHVILLE (Interstat) — Vanderbilt rode a 21-point third quarter and a productive afternoon from quarterback Jared Curtis to a 35-31 victory over North Carolina State on Saturday at FirstBank Stadium. The Commodores remained unbeaten at 3-0, while the Wolfpack fell to 1-2 in a Football Bowl Subdivision game. Vanderbilt’s home crowd saw the Commodores overcome an early deficit and turn a tight matchup into a high-scoring result, though North Carolina State kept pressure on until the final minutes. The game was played on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.

Curtis completed 20 of 34 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns and ran 12 times for 64 yards. His favorite target was Junior Sherrill, who caught six passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Tristen Brown added four receptions for 81 yards. Sedrick Alexander ran seven times for 53 yards and caught two passes for 15 yards and a touchdown. Makhilyn Young ran four times for 16 yards and caught two passes for 10 yards and a touchdown. Cole Adams had two catches for 25 yards, Brycen Coleman one for 18, Kayleb Barnett two for 11, and Jayvontay Conner one for nine. Vanderbilt’s passing game repeatedly found room against the Wolfpack secondary, and the Commodores’ balance helped them answer North Carolina State’s surges.

North Carolina State got a strong game from CJ Bailey, who completed 25 of 37 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns and added nine carries for 35 yards. Bailey connected repeatedly with Keenan Jackson, including scoring throws of 30, 6 and 23 yards. Will Wilson also broke free for a 38-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The Wolfpack’s other offensive contributors included Davion Dozier with one catch for 13 yards, Chance Robinson with one for seven, Tyran Warren with one for five and Victor Snow with one for minus-one yard. Snow also returned a punt 33 yards, giving North Carolina State a spark in special teams.

Vanderbilt’s defense made enough plays to protect the lead. Ricardo Jones, Mason Lewis and CJ Heard each recorded eight tackles. Bryan Longwell had seven tackles, while Edwin Kolenge added six. Bradley Mann and Nick Rinaldi each finished with five tackles. Rinaldi added a sack and a quarterback hurry. Bryce Cowan had four tackles and an interception. Glenn Seabrooks III and Issa Ouattara each had four tackles, while Jaylon Stone and Miles Capers each had three. Cayden Daniels and Martel Hight each had two, and Mason Carter, Talan Carter, Davin Chandler, Carson Lawrence, Dontae Carter and Hayden Bray each had one. Jordan Matthews and Jamezell Lassiter also appeared in the game for the Commodores.

North Carolina State’s defensive effort was led by Popo Aguirre with six tackles. Bailey Benson had five tackles, and Jaren Sensabaugh had four tackles and an interception. Tristan Teasdell, Ronnie Royal III and King Mack each recorded three tackles. Adrian Farrow had two tackles, and LaCorian Hodge added a quarterback hurry. The Wolfpack defense had trouble containing Curtis and Sherrill, especially as Vanderbilt produced its decisive third-quarter run.

Special teams also shaped field position. Jackson Waller punted three times for 107 yards for North Carolina State. Tyler Ebel punted four times for 182 yards for Vanderbilt. Maurice Veney returned one kickoff 13 yards, and Evan Hampton returned two kickoffs for 39 yards. Kanoah Vinesett handled kicking duties for North Carolina State and made a 24-yard field goal, while Brock Taylor converted extra points for Vanderbilt. Both teams used the kicking game to manage long fields, but the Commodores’ offense ultimately produced more explosive plays.

The scoring began with North Carolina State. Will Wilson opened the day with a 38-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Bailey later found Jackson for a 30-yard touchdown. Vinesett added a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter. Vanderbilt answered just before halftime when Curtis connected with Sherrill for a 12-yard touchdown. In the third quarter, Bailey and Jackson hooked up again for a six-yard score. Curtis later found Alexander for a 10-yard touchdown, and Bailey hit Jackson for a 23-yard touchdown. Vanderbilt’s third-quarter surge included 21 points, which proved critical in the final margin. North Carolina State scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, but the Commodores had built enough of a cushion to hold on.

Vanderbilt entered the game after a 35-26 win over Delaware and a 28-9 win over Austin Peay. The Commodores improved to 3-0 and will next travel to Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 26. North Carolina State had lost at Virginia before routing Richmond 73-0. The Wolfpack fell to 1-2 and will host Appalachian State on Saturday, Sept. 26. Both teams remain in the early portion of their schedules, with conference play approaching.

The game featured plenty of statistical balance. Vanderbilt finished with more touchdown passes from Curtis and a pair of scoring catches from Sherrill. North Carolina State relied on Bailey’s arm and Jackson’s ability to find open space. The Wolfpack also got a touchdown run from Wilson and a field goal from Vinesett. The Commodores’ defense generated an interception by Cowan and a sack by Rinaldi, while North Carolina State’s Sensabaugh intercepted a pass. The teams combined for 66 points, making it one of the higher-scoring matchups of the weekend.

Vanderbilt’s victory also came with contributions across the roster. Longwell, Kolenge, Jones, Lewis and Heard paced the Commodores’ tackling effort. Alexander and Young each found the end zone on the ground or through the air. Sherrill’s two touchdown receptions gave Vanderbilt a reliable downfield option. North Carolina State’s Bailey produced three touchdown passes and kept the Wolfpack within reach. Jackson’s three scoring catches gave the Wolfpack a big-play threat throughout the game. The Commodores’ ability to score 21 points in the third quarter helped them withstand North Carolina State’s fourth-quarter push.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of North Carolina State 26, Vanderbilt 25. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Vanderbilt with an 85.9 percent probability to win. North Carolina State had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +3. The over-under line was 50.5, and the teams combined for 66 points. Vanderbilt’s actual victory came despite the pregame projections favoring a much closer, lower-scoring game.