While Gamecock football season's opening stretch of away games means you'll have to wait a few more weeks to get crazy with 80,000 of your closest friends at Williams-Brice Stadium, there's no reason you can't still take in the team's 2016 debut alongside your Carolina brethren.
Those looking to stay on campus for their game day experience don't have to go any farther than Russell House. The festivities will start at 7 p.m. Thursday and include free food as well as a screening of the game in the ballroom.
Just off campus, the My Carolina Alumni Association is hosting a "Hometown Tailgate." The event will feature a pregame happy hour, tailgate buffet and screening of the game on multiple big screens. All guests have to buy a ticket for the buffet, but everything else is free for both members and non-members. Everything will happen at the Alumni Center on Senate Street in the Vista starting at 4:30 p.m.
And if you're the kind of fan who needs to watch alone for the sake of not scaring off your friends, you can easily watch in the comfort of your own home as long as you've got a cable subscription. ESPN will carry the game live and stream the whole thing as part of their College Football Kickoff weekend.