Our Digital Season, Week 8: South Carolina at Texas A&M

OH HAI it's been a while. Yes, I missed Vanderbilt week. I apologize that I'm not apologizing—things got busy, and I'll leave it at that. (Re: I'm an unpaid blogger with a full time job and sometimes carving out an hour or more to document a computer-controlled video game simulation is tough.) But hey ODS is back with a vengeance, as the DigiCocks travel to DigiCollege Station to take on the DigiAggies. Please note I've condensed and sleekified this feature, based on some feedback that basically amounted to TL;DR. So here you go, lazy bones!

1st Quarter, or MILD CONCERN

Carolina gets the ball, but the game begins slowly with each team going three and out. On its second drive, Carolina moves into A&M territory via an onslaught of zone reads. But when Orth finally passes it, he's picked off by Harris and its brought back to the USC 38. A&M capitalizes, working it into the end zone in six plays, the last of which being a 4 yard Murray to Kirk slant. 7-0, Aggies. Carolina responds with a healthy drive, including a 27 yard completion to Cooper. But the drive stalls in A&M territory, and Fry will boot the 40 yard to make it 7-3. A&M suffers a few penalties and ultimately gets nothing going on its next drive. Carolina gains just 2 yards in 2 plays, and the quarter ends.

2nd Quarter, or COOP GONNA COOP

Carolina has it, 3rd and 8 at their own 35. Orth has no where to go with it, and will tuck and run—he finds a hole and gains 9! Carolina's moving it, and we jump ahead to 2nd and 2 inside the 5. Pitch to Wilds, he gets a crushing block from Adams, and he'll run it in for the score. 10-7 Gamecocks. A&M continues to sputter on offense—3 incompletions, and they'll punt. Carolina takes over, but quickly finds itself in a 3rd and 11 situation. Orth drops back, and finds Neal on the sideline for 19. After another 3rd down pickup, Orth finds Pharoh Cooper on a go route for a 26 yard touchdown strike. It's 17-7, Carolina. And again, A&M's offense can't get anything going—they'll punt again. Carolina takes over, and Orth keeps finding Cooper. First for 14, then for 28. Just like that, the Cocks are in the red zone. We jump to 3rd and 1 at the 2 yard line. I formation, and it's fullback Rivers Bedenbaugh who gets the touch an the score. 24-7, Gamecocks. 2:23 remains in the half. A&M does finally get the offense going—passes of 16, 24, and 19 yards get A&M inside the 10. Two plays later, Tra Carson barrels in for the score. 24-14, Gamecocks. Nothing else of substance happens in the half.

HALFTIME ANALYSIS

For Carolina, it's the Pharoh Cooper show as usual. He's got 117 yards and a touchdown already. Orth is up over 200 yards. Murray's been good but not great—9/18, but he hasn't turned it over. South Carolina's on pace for 600 yards offense, though, and have had a great deal of success (6/9) on third down. A&M's just 1/5 on 3rd.

3rd Quarter, or Aggie-ressive

Texas A&M gets the ball out of the half, and makes good. A steady drive ends with a short rollout pass to Ratley, and the Aggies pull within 3, 24-21. Carolina gets a 1st down but stalls out at midfield and will punt. A&M is on the offensive—consecutive completions of 26, 38, and 12 yards put the ball inside the Gamecock 10 yard line. But the Gamecocks hold, capped off by a 3rd down sack by Gerald Dixon, Jr. A&M settles for the field goal, but ties the game at 24. Carolina takes over—they get a quick first down, but two drops bring up 3rd and 10. Guess who—it's Orth to Cooper on a go route. A 70 yard house call makes it 31-24, Cocks. A&M takes over, but on the first play of the drive, Dixon Jr. gets to Murray again, and it's a strip sack! Carolina ball. A 27 yard pass to, yes, Cooper puts Carolina inside the 20. Jump to 3rd and 2, and the quarter ticks to a close.

4th Quarter, or TEXAS (A&M): HOLD EM

Wilds is stood up on 3rd down, so Carolina will settle for a short field goal attempt. Good, and it's 34-24. A&M takes over. Jump to 3rd and 5. Murray checks down, but McWilliams makes contact and the ball is dropped. Carolina takes over, but goes 3 and out. Punt. But A&M moves backwards, and will punt on 4th and a mile. After a complete pass and a facemask, the ball is deep in A&M territory. But the defense holds, and Carolina will go for the 35 yard field goal. Good, and it's 37-24 with 5:00 remaining. A&M takes over and moves the ball well enough, but we jump to a 3rd and 13 nearing midfield. Murray has time—he fires, but it's broken up. A&M will have to punt. Carolina takes over at its own 10. Carolina's in clock-bleed mode, and manage a crucial 1st down. A&M will have to use its timeouts. Jump to 3rd and 2 after A&Ms final timeout. 1:59 remains. A first down will all but end it. Orth will drop back—and by god, it catches A&M off guard. Orth hits a wide open Jerell Adams for 10, and the chains move. And that's all she wrote.

Gamecocks 37, Aggies 24.

*nice

An absolutely outburst on offense and some stout 3rd down defense does the job for South Carolina, who shut out the Aggies in the 4th quarter. If the IRL Cocks are to take anything from this digital display, it would be that 223 receiving yards by Pharoh Cooper could yield some nice results.