NC State QB CJ Bailey Explains Thought Process Before Fumble in Stunning Loss to Vanderbilt

NC State quarterback CJ Bailey broke his silence about his costly fumble in Saturday's shocking loss against Vanderbilt.

"I was just trying to get all the clock out. That was my thought," Bailey told reporters on Wednesday. "The biggest thing was just to hold the ball. I was just trying to run around and make a play. Being competitive, that's who I am, I'm a competitive guy. I was competing until the final second. It happens, I fumbled the ball. I'm gonna pick myself up and keep going."

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NC State was leading 31-28 with six seconds left in the game and needed to run out the clock on a fourth-down play from its 5-yard line. Bailey attempted to scramble as the seconds ticked down and take a safety that would've secured the win. However, he was hit by three Vanderbilt defenders before the ball was punched out in the end zone, allowing cornerback Cayden Daniels to recover the fumble for the go-ahead touchdown in a 35-31 victory for the Commodores.

Bailey said that there was "a lot of communication with the coaches" before the fourth-down play, and they told him "a lot of things." However, he felt that his inexperience in the situation led to the unfortunate outcome.

"We worked the play a couple times, but never in that situation," Bailey said. "That was my first time ever in that situation, and it didn't go the right way I wanted to. I fumbled the ball, it is what it is, we gotta move forward."

When a reporter attempted another follow-up question to Bailey regarding the matter, they were cut off by NC State's media relations representative.

Bailey and the Wolfpack (1-2) will try to regroup and bounce back against Appalachian State (3-0) on Saturday night.