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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Opening the season on Thursday night has become quite the tradition for Vanderbilt, taking advantage of the chance to lure a few more eyes.Now the Commodores want to tweak that trend.By winning.The Commodores open Thursday night hosting South Carolina -- the fifth straight year theyve helped open the college football season. Theyve come so very close to wins over the past four seasons but have not won an opener at home since beating Elon in 2011.Coach Derek Mason isnt sure if theres any benefit to being among the first to play each season.I like getting the season started early, Mason said Tuesday. Its nice to have a kickoff game that people talk about and everybody knows and understands when college football starts. So to hit it on a Thursday night, weve done it for the last couple of years, so for me its become old hat. I like where its at, and thats good.Being on national TV never hurts, even a team in a Power Five conference with its own network. The competition on Thursday night will be stiffer with 29 other games being played, though adding the Southeastern Conference opener certainly helps.The Commodores havent beaten South Carolina since 2008, and this gives them a big chance to kick off the season in style. But the Commodores have lost three of their past four season openers by a combined 10 points. Last years loss may have been the most painful, losing 14-12 to Western Kentucky when Vandys 2-point conversion failed at the end to force overtime.The only game that wasnt close came in 2014 in a 37-7 rout at the hands of Temple in Masons coaching debut, a game that didnt finish until the wee hours of the next day because of a lightning delay.Vanderbilt is coming off a 4-8 season, and Mason has written an open letter to fans asking for their support Thursday night to fill up the stadium. Hes also asked students to turn out as well. The coach said the Commodores need momentum along with the opportunity to do something they havent done his first two seasons.This team knows how important it is just based on our recent history, Mason said. Theres an opportunity to win the first home opener in I dont know six years or whatever it is, to beat south Carolina for the first time in a long time. So theres some important factors for us that really dont ride necessarily on just it being the first game.Linebacker Oren Burks said the Commodores see opening on Thursday night as an opportunity to showcase themselves on a national stage.Its Thursday night, all eyes are on you, Burks said. Theres not a lot of games ... Im excited for this season.Vanderbilt has 15 starters back, including seven from a defense that ranked 28th nationally in total defense last season and 22nd allowing 21 points per game. Kyle Shurmur started five games last season at quarterback, a job he has a firm hold on this season.Weve all been chomping at the bit to get ready for this game, Shurmur said. Were all ready to go and were real excited. Anytime you can get it two days earlier a game, its great.--Online:AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker Bryan Holaday Jersey . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Jose Fernandez Jersey . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. http://www.marlinsteamproshop.com/Marlins-Starlin-Castro-Kids-Jersey/ . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. Wei-Yin Chen Jersey . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. Andre Dawson Jersey . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.Chris Ashton talks Saracens, England and that 10-week suspension... Ashton plays his second match since returning from the ban on Saturday afternoon - a massive Champions Cup quarter-final showdown with Northampton, live on Sky Sports.He talks about how he dealt with sitting on the sidelines for so long as England went on to win the Grand Slam without him - and his targets for the rest of the season.dddddddddddd.. Click play to watch the video... Also See: Sky Live: Saracens v Northampton Hurricanes tame Jaguares Paillaugue kicks Sale out of cup Champions Cup fixtures ' ' '