As the ACC schedules were announced on Monday, we learned that South Carolina’s season opener with North Carolina would be moved to Thursday night, Aug. 29th. ESPN is credited with arranging the move.

I’m probably not the only person who assumed this was set as a Thursday game already – it’s been a popular and successful setting for South Carolina to open the season. The Gamecocks have had a Thursday opener six times in eight seasons under Steve Spurrier, and they’re a perfect 6-0 in those games.

The new date gives South Carolina an additional two days to rest and prepare for their Sept. 7th trip to Athens to open SEC play against Georgia, but does it matter? The Gamecocks are just 1-4 in the Spurrier era when they face Georgia in the week following a Thursday game. They’re 3-0 under Spurrier when they’ve had the usual week to prepare for the Dawgs. Now had Georgia entertained the idea of moving the Clemson game to Labor Day…