Game Eight: South Carolina @ Vanderbilt

Notes from the game as I watch this Thursday night game....

....Chris Smelley gets the start for the Gamecocks tonight. Proof that the quarterback can be changed after one week.

....Is Scott Kazmir going to throw a no-hitter against the Yankees tonight? I think he might.

....I also think that the Commodores are going to keep this close for a long while. Let's not forget that I think this USC is one of the more overrated bunches in the country.

....With that said, Vandy turned it over to give South Carolina great field position. They face a third and goal now.

....Jesse Palmer did a better job with the tie this week. But he still needs some help.

....Great throw and catch from Smelley to McKinley to get a touchdown on third and goal from the 19. McKinley makes a good catch. Ryan Succup who somehow still has eligibity, seems like he's been there forever, boots the extra point.

....More trouble at Penn State. Paterno suspends three players for this weekend's game versus Oregon State, after marijuana found in their campus apartment. The investigation is continuing and Paterno says they definitely won't play this week. We'll see how that develops.

....South Carolina has had some problems with false starts in the past. Spurrier promised that he'd bench the first offensive line who jumped. He didn't do it when the left tackle just jumped. Vandy just picked off a Smelley pass (no pun intended) and they've thwarted this threat and have good field position near midfield.

....Five quarters now and the South Carolina defense hasn't given up a point. Good job by them.

....Vanderbilt has gotten to within 7-3 as an interception leads to three points and the Gamecocks still haven't given up a touchdown this year. We're getting close to halftime now.

....Does anybody think that East Carolina has a chance against West Virginia this weekend? I really think that the Mountaineers are going to capitalize on the lesser game last week and ECU will be a little too high after the win last week. The one factor that you can't know how it will affect things is the weather as the Hurricane looms.

....Both of these teams started with two tough games on Thursday nights. Of course it gets no easier for South Carolina next weekend as they host Georgia. That could be a good matchup for South Carolina as they get an extra few days off, are the more battle tested team and Georgia maybe looking forward to the big game the following week at Arizona State. Vanderbilt meanwhile, will host an improving Rice squad. Chase Clement threw six touchdown passes for the Owls last weekend. Rice travels to Memphis this weekend before returning to Tennessee again next weekend.

....The Gamecocks got a field goal right before halftime and they lead 10-3. Ryan Succup who seems like a Groza nominee, booted it through. But it was the fake punt that kept the drive alive.

....I know the NFL kicked off tonight. But I just like the intensity of the college game a little more. Oh yeah, and the Erin Andrews factor.

....We've got a ballgame now. Vanderbilt got a break when a punt hit a South Carolina player in the knee and the Commodores recovered. Vandy went right to the air and got a game-tying touchdown. The fans are excited in Nashville and I think its going to be an exciting 25 minutes to the completion.

....Vanderbilt just blocked a South Carolina field goal and we're still tied. I think that Vandy is going to lose this late. But its been an exciting game. I will post my thoughts on the final 20 minutes later.

....Vandy ended up winning this 24-17. They made some great adjustments and ended up scoring 3 second half touchdowns against the Gamecock defense that hadn't allowed any in its first six quarters.

....Might end up being a tough year at South Carolina. They face Georgia next weekend, and even though I think they'll play the Dawgs tough, I can't see them winning that game.

....This was a good start to the college football weekend. So is Vanderbilt going to a bowl this year? At 2-0 with Rice on the horizon, the chances have to be pretty good.