2008 retrospective: South Carolina 27, Tennessee 6

A final look back at the 2008 season, quick-like, because pain should be fast.

Up today: The Fat Rooster Crows.

It was about this time that we dubbed 2008 the Season of Constant Sorrow:

We couldn't even manage a proper game preview, opting instead for an Extreme Apathetic version:

Man, these things all look alike. Blah, blah, blah, our offense stinks, their defense is good, but maybeperhapspossibly we might have a chance to stop their offense. Blah, blah, blah, fourth quarter fatigue, good enough to win blah. What happened to our blah blah punting game? Blah Spurrier Fulmer blah. MuschampLeachGrudenKiffin. Money blah.

There were a couple of good plays in this game, one by Berry and one by Britton Colquitt (the 9th- and 15th-best of the season, respectively):

Consider it cold consolation, though, because apart from that, there really wasn't much to say after this game:

Well, that should about do it. I don't really know what we were thinking when we put Jonathan Crompton into the game immediately after Nick Stephens threw a pick six. Yeah, an interception returned for a touchdown is not a good thing, but Nick's played fairly well, what with the not having had significant first-string reps through most of fall practice, being thrown into the fire against Georgia, and not throwing an interception in something like four games despite all of that. That there's a good way to ruin another QB. Um, see here for the rules.

Oh, and Lennon Creer fumbled as well, and if memory serves, he never got back on the field. I'm baffled at how seniors can be granted a full measure of forgiveness, grace, and second chances but talented underclassmen are banished to benches at the first hint of adversity and not allowed their second chance until graduation.

I'm exaggerating, oversimplifying, etc., I guess, because at least Stephens got back in for the second half, and although we couldn't move the ball, it wasn't really all that surprising. South Carolina has a great defense, so you know.

We did have the pleasure of another Eric Berry sighting, meaning he intercepted yet another pass and ran it back yet another huge chunk of yards, leaving substantial carnage in his wake. That was fun.

Britton Colquitt had some fantastic punts. That was cool.

The defense induced several smirks and shakings of the visor-less head of Steve Spurrier, and that was enjoyable as well.

Beyond that? Uh, no. 34 yards rushing. Barely over 200 yards total. Really, the stats weren't that much different between the teams, but turnovers and sacks just killed us. We had one touchdown. Our offense is beyond broken. What's more than broken? Disassembled? Crushed, pulverized, decimated? Stillborn on the architect's table?

Beyond broken and beyond saving. And the offense wouldn't be the only casualty.

Up next: Wyoming.