Before we get started with the first edition of 2016’s ODS, I want to make a couple of notes:

I updated, the best I could, the depth chart for the South Carolina Gamecocks. It’s not perfect, but it’s as close as I could get. For those wondering what our depth chart looks like, you can find it here.

I have the Gamecocks using Duke’s playbook on the NCAA 14 game. Kurt Roper was the OC at Duke for this version of the game.

I started Perry Orth at QB for the Gamecocks. It was the best educated guess I could make based on what we know.

But without further ado, here is your ODS season opener!

The First Quarter, or: "WHAT THE HELL?"

The Gamecocks kick it off through the back of the endzone and, after getting Vanderbilt to 3rd & 1, Kelsey Griffin comes up with the sack! The Commodores will punt.

After two quick incomplete passes, Orth completes a short screen to AJ Turner for 6 yards. Alas, it’s now 4th and 4, so the Gamecocks will punt.

After another quick Commodore’s three and out, the Gamecocks find themselves on the move. A quick strike to Jamari Smith, followed up by a big catch by Bryan Edwards has the Gamecocks on the Vanderbilt 18 yard line. After another completion to Hayden Hurst, Perry Orth executes the read option perfectly two straight times and scores. TOUCHDOWN SOUTH CAROLINA, 7-0 USC.

Vanderbilt will take over on their own 21 and FINALLY convert on a third down. After that conversion, Vandy seems to have finally found their groove. Kyle Shurmur drops back to pass and is PICKED OFF BY JONATHAN WALTON.

The Gamecocks take over with 42 seconds left in the first quarter on their 41 yard line. Orth, who is on fire, finds Terry Googer underneath for a 16 yard gain. AJ Turner catches a screen pass on 3rd and 12 and runs upfield for 14 yards for a first down. And that’s how the first quarter concludes.

The Second Quarter, or: "DIGI-MCILWAIN’S DEBUT"

1st and 10, from the Vanderbilt 31 is how we start the second stanza. Perry Orth drops back and finds AJ Turner across the middle for 15-ish. The Gamecocks offense is threatening again as David Williams darts up the middle inside the Vanderbilt 10 yard line. And David Williams forces his way through the endzone! 14-0, USC.

Vanderbilt will start on their 30 yard line and, after a few good runs by Ralph Webb, finds themselves in Carolina territory. On 3rd and 3 from inside South Carolina territory, Kyle Shurmur throws a dart to the outside receiver and the Commodores are threatening. However, the Commodores will get to the 10 yard line, but get no further. The kick is up and it’s good, 14-3, USC.

After a short drive, Carolina will punt, putting Vanderbilt at their own 21. Vanderbilt will try to milk the clock, but JaMarcus King is having none of that as he completely decks Webb in the backfield.

After the Commodore punt, Carolina is on the move. After a Perry Orth scramble puts the Gamecocks on the Vanderbilt 30, it seems Orth is a bit shaken and should come out of the game. But digi-Will Muschamp is having none of that, as he calls for the hurry up offense with 15 seconds on the clock. After nearly throwing an interception, we can all imagine digi-Champ’s fury on the sideline. So in comes SAVIOR OF THE PROGRAM digi-Brandon McIlwain with 8 seconds left on the 2nd quarter clock. 2nd and 10, McIlwain drops back to pass and completes a short out to Javon Charleston for 8 yards, leaving 2 seconds on the clock. The Gamecocks will bring out Elliott Fry and the kick is up and it’s good! 17-3, USC at halftime.

HALFTIME ANALYSIS:

The digi-Cocks, up 17-3, have been fairly efficient on both sides of the ball. They haven’t allowed digi-Ralph Webb to break out into the open field quite yet. And despite allowing digi-Shurmur to go 8-10 in the first half, one of the incompletions was an interception and he has been sacked twice. Perry Orth has controlled the game, and David Williams and AJ Turner have combined to be a nice digi-One-Two punch. On to the second half!

The Third Quarter, or: "PLEASE DON’T BLOW IT AKA GHOSTS OF WHAMMY WARD"

Vanderbilt, who received to start the first half, will kick off. After a touchback, the digi-Gamecocks, still led by digi-Brandon, will start on their own 25 yard line. A nice triple option pitch from McIlwain to Jamari Smith will take the Gamecocks to midfield! A few nice runs by digi-Williams and digi-Turner have the Gamecocks deep in Vandy territory. After getting to 3rd and 4 inside the Vandy 15, Vanderbilt strings out an option play. Elliott Fry boots antoher one through the endzone, Gamecocks lead, 20-3.

A big return gets Vandy out to the 45 yard line, but Kyle Shurmur immediately runs into a sack! However, Ralph Webb gets loose and the ‘Dores are down inside the South Carolina 35 yard line. Bending but not breaking, the Gamecock defense holds the digi-Dores to a field goal. 20-6, Gamecocks.

After a, I don’t know what to call it, the Gamecocks "returned" the ball to their own 4 yard line. So digi-Brandon will lead the offense from the shadow of his own fieldgoal posts. After a quick run by digi-David Williams out to the 15 yard line, Brandon McIlwain takes a pair of sacks that leads to a Gamecock punt.

The Vanderbilt offense, now taking the field without their star (Ralph Webb out for the game with injury), will take over on the Gamecock 45 yard line. A big run by Dallas Rivers to the Gamecock 17, but an even bigger hit by digi-BAW leads to a digi-Vandy turnover! After a couple Gamecocks runs and a first down, the third quarter will end. Gamecock ball, 1st and 10 on their own 27 yard line.

The Fourth Quarter, or: "More field goals!"

Digi-McIlwain play action fake to Turner, and he fires a strike to Jamari Smith who scampers across the Vanderbilt 49 yard line. Digi-Perry, who makes a wild reappearance to the game, has the Gamecocks inside the Vanderbilt 25 yard line. However, that’s where the drive will stall and Elliott Fry will kick yet another field goal to make it a 23-6 Gamecock lead.

Vanderbilt gets the ball back and is quickly into Gamecock territory. Pressed for time and down 17, the Dores go into their hurry up offense. On 4th and 10, Vanderbilt will go for from the Gamecock 12 yard line. Digi-Shurmur promptly throws it away out of bounds. Head scratcher, it will be Gamecock ball from the 12 with 2:55 left on the clock. The Gamecocks, padding their rushing stats, are out to the 44 yard line in 3 plays while milking the clock. Perry Orth will hand off to David Williams on the last play of the game.

The Gamecocks win 23-6.

I'd absolutely love this result. Holding Vanderbilt to under 250 yards and 6 points would be a hell of a start to the Gamecock season. While I'd like the offense to do a bit better inside the 35 yard line, I don't think we would be complaining about a 17 point win on the road to start the 2016 season.