We love the Thursday night: Spurrier's South Carolina becomes upset victim #1

ESPN's Thursday Night College Football show was infamous last year for the destruction of many team's hopes for conference victory.

West Virginia, Louisville and Oregon were all victims of the 2007 Thursday curse. Rutgers also became rejuvenated on a Thursday night in 2006.

After whipping NC State on the first Thursday of the college football season, this blog genuinely thought that Steve Spurrier's 24th-ranked South Carolina would have no problem going into Vanderbilt and coming away with a victory.

At 10-3 going into the second half, it looked in the cards. South Carolina didn't look great during the first half, but then again, neither did Vandy.

But in the second half, boy, was I wrong.

Vandy did the small things right. They blocked a kick. They took advantage of a punt that deflected off a South Carolina player 35 yards down the field and recovered it, scoring minutes later. Quarterback Chris Nickson, who's no Pat White (running) or Vandy alum Jake Cutler (throwing), ran for a touchdown and threw for another.

Vandy scored 21 straight points, and the Gamecocks could only reply with seven minutes on the clock. In 2007, and so many years before, Vandy might have used those minutes to fall apart and once again feast on defeat after tasting victory.

However, the defense held firm and the offense got the necessary first down for the "Black Out" (which I'd like to add completely and utterly sucked in comparison to Georgia's last season) for the Commodores' second straight victory.

Thoughts that were running through my head during the game:

1) "South Carolina should play in the ACC, where things might be easier"

2) "Vanderbilt, are they actually taking football seriously now?"

3) "Gosh, I'm so happy I SkyPlused (the UK equivalent of TiVo) this game. I can watch it all in an hour and more's the case, avoid the dreadful Dr. Lou."

4) "In case you didn't notice the 200 ads during the span of the game, ESPN is airing the Miami vs Florida game at 8 PM."

5) "Hmmm....Beanie Wells is injured. I wonder how OSU's going to cope with USC if that's still the case?"

6) "How can you be so stupid as to be caught with cannabis in an apartment?"