NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Vanderbilt Commodores and coach Derek Mason know only too well just how big an opportunity they have in their season opener.The can kick off the year with a win at home, and against a Southeastern Conference opponent to boot.Its something theyve failed to do in each of the past two seasons under Mason, and now they get to try again Thursday night when they host South Carolina on national television.We need momentum, and I think thats what were talking about, Mason said. Were talking about a chance to see something we havent had an opportunity to do since Ive been here.Vanderbilt hasnt opened the season with a victory since 2011 against Elon. The Commodores bounced back nicely the last time they opened a season losing to an SEC team, going 9-4 in 2013 after losing to Mississippi. But Mason, whos revamped his coaching staff almost entirely since arriving on campus in 2014, is just 7-17 and is expecting to build on last years 4-8 record.Were a team thats got to earn respect, Mason said. That drives this team.South Carolina has won seven straight in this series and even got its lone SEC win against Vandy last season after Steve Spurrier stepped down. Now Will Muschamp is in charge trying to turn around the Gamecocks after a 3-9 record that was the leagues worst. It doesnt help that the schedule has the Gamecocks on the road for their first three SEC games to kick off the season, making this opener even more crucial.As all first ball games, you go in expecting anything and making sure your players are able to adjust to all the different things that pop up throughout the game, Muschamp said. There are going to be some new things and youve got to be able to adjust as the games goes. Thats going to be really important, especially for us.---Here are some things to watch Thursday night:QB SHUFFLE: Muschamp has held off on naming a quarterback starter until game-time with nobody rising up to grab the job, and the coach says the Gamecocks could use at least two quarterbacks against the Commodores. Senior Perry Orth has the most experience, starting eight games a year ago with a 78-yard TD pass helping beat Vandy 19-10 in Columbia. Freshman Brandon McIlwain enrolled in January, while freshman Jake Bentley arrived in June.VANDYS QB: For a change, quarterback is not a question for the Commodores. The 6-foot-4 Kyle Shurmur won the job after starting both of Vandys two SEC wins last season as a freshman.GROWING UP: Mason keeps calling this an older team, and he has eight juniors or seniors on offense with the age difference most noticeable on defense where all 11 starters are at least juniors. Thats in addition to eight returning starters on offense and as many as 11 who started multiple games on defense last season.YOUNG RECEIVERS: Needing to replace play-making receiver Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina is looking at its youngest wide-outs. Sophomore Deebo Samuel and freshman Bryan Edwards will both start against the Commodores. Backups include Chavis Dawkins, Korey Banks and Radrecous Davis, all freshmen. I think they are all talented guys and in different ways, Muschamp said. Edwards enters with the most hype, a 6-3 leaper who earned a game-breaking reputation in high school.DEFENSIVE VANDY: Mason is running the defense for a second straight season, and the Commodores expect to improve after ranking 28th in yards allowed in 2015. That was just a taste of what we can do defensively, linebacker and safety Oren Burks said. Weve gotten a taste of that, and were hungry for more.---Online:AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org and AP-Top 25 Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalkerWholesale Air Max 2018 . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Air Max 2018 Clearance . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. http://www.cheapairmaxsaleonline.com/ . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Green Air Max 2018 . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Air Max 2018 Outlet . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field.LIVERPOOL, England -- Marouane Fellaini was sent on as a late substitute to bolster Manchester Uniteds defensive effort and help the team see out victory at Everton.He ended up costing United the win.With his first significant contribution, the oft-criticized Fellaini conceded a penalty with a clumsy challenge on Idrissa Gueye, and Leighton Baines converted the spot kick to earn Everton a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Sunday.It was Uniteds fifth draw in its last seven matches, leaving the team in sixth place and 13 points behind league leader Chelsea as Jose Mourinhos side keep finding ways to throw away victory.We arent getting the results we deserve, Mourinho said, in what is becoming a familiar post-match reaction.Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave United the lead in the 42nd minute with an exquisite lobbed finish but it was a scrappy display by Mourinhos team in a game short of quality. United has won only two games since Aug. 27.Aside from the late goal, a big talking point was a crude tackle from United defender Marcos Rojo in the 16th that might have justified a red card but only earned him a yellow.A day after Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero was sent off for a knee-high lunge on Chelsea defender David Luiz, Rojo left the ground and dived two-footed -- with his studs showing -- into the legg of Gueye.dddddddddddd Evertons players sprinted to referee Michael Oliver to urge him to show a red card, but the official surprisingly chose yellow instead.That was the only notable incident of a disappointing first half until the goal from Ibrahimovic, which owed as much to the rashness of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg as to the Swedish strikers skill.Ibrahimovic ran onto Anthony Martials long ball forward but the situation looked relatively harmless for Everton until Stekelenburg chose to race out of his area in a bid to clear the ball. Ibrahimovic reached it first, deftly flicked the ball over the `keeper and watched it bounce up against the bar, down onto the post, land on the goal-line and spin back over the line before Ramiro Funes Mori could clear.Ibrahimovic stayed in the spotlight early in the second half when he landed heavily on Seamus Coleman as they battled for the ball before appearing to drop his foot on the head of the defender.Ander Herrera struck the angle of post and bar with a close-range half-volley in the 60th before United faced a strong finish from Everton.De Gea saved from Kevin Mirallas and Enner Valencia but was finally beaten by Baines. ' ' '