Vandy Starts Season 2-0 with Gritty Win over the Gamecocks

The Gamecocks came into Thursday night's SEC opener with one thing one their mind. Vengeance. But instead, Vanderbilt showed the nation that last year's upset in Columbia was anything but a fluke.

Vanderbilt did what most Commodore teams in the past could never do, and that was hold a lead. Vandy couldn't do it last year against Tennessee or plenty of other times in the past.

That would not be the case on Thursday night. Vandy took a 24-10 lead with roughly nine minutes remaining in regulation off of a bruising 13-yard run up the gut by junior Jared Hawkins.

South Carolina would threaten to treat Vandy to another humiliating loss, but instead Vandy's defense held strong by sacking South Carolina quarterback Chris Smelley twice on South Carolina's last chance to tie the game.

Thursday night's win shows that Vandy is ready to get to the next level in the SEC. One thing that sets apart the SEC from many other conferences is the quality of defenses. Well, Vandy might arguably have one of the best in the SEC.

On Thursday night, Vandy's defense bent, but didn't break. The defense forced three turnovers and sacked Smelley four times. That defense will need to show up each and every week if Vandy wants to see its first bowl bid in over two decades.

Things are definitely looking up for the Commodores, especially if you look at the schedule. They still have home games against Rice and Duke, which should be easy wins. Combine that with games on the road against Kentucky, who is rebuilding, and Mississippi St. and Ole Miss. If Vandy can win just two of those three games, then they will reach the magic number of six wins to get to a bowl game.

Vanderbilt does have a nasty history of starting strong before imploding during the months of October and November.

Just go back and look at 2005 when Vandy started 4-0 before losing to lowly Middle Tennessee State on a blocked field goal, which would ultimately keep them from a bowl bid.

When you're Vanderbilt, you have nowhere to go but up, and that's just what the kids from the Music City are slowly doing here in 2008.