THE SEC REPORT

LSU lays out a path to the National Championship after defeating Georgia, and the rest of the SEC bowl schedule

LSU lays out a path to the National Championship after defeating Georgia, and the rest of the SEC bowl schedule

Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio and Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!

LAST WEEKEND

The season ended with a massive beating in the SEC championship game in Atlanta as LSU smacked around Georgia. Joe Burrow put the period at the end of his Heisman Statement at this game after he threw for four more touchdowns in a lop sided 37-10 victory. The other national implication coming from this game is seeding for the College Football Playoff for the National Championship, with LSU having been moved down to second (in a bizarre move to many) earlier in the season, the committee did wind up picking LSU to be the #1 seed after conference championship weekend.

PLAYERS FROM THE GAME

Jake Fromm, Quarterback of Georgia, wasn't ready for the big time and played inconsistently in a game that Georgia can never seemingly win, the SEC championship game, with two interceptions and only one passing touchdown.

Joe Burrow, Quarterback of LSU, this was a great game on a great stage and this is the most proof so far that there is no doubt that Burrow is a big time quarterback deserving of all the national love and accolades this season.

D'Andre Swift, Runningback of Georgia, he'd been the other big name coming into this game and because of injuries from the Georgia Tech game was really unable to get going.

AND NOW...

So now for LSU the stage is set, December 28th in Atlanta again, they'll play in the Peach Bowl against Oklahoma and the winner goes on to the National Championship to play the winner of Clemson/Ohio State. The likelihood of LSU making it is good but now the question becomes, who do they play? Is there a match up they'd like to see more? My prediction is LSU against Clemson for a close LSU victory in the National Title game.

SEC BOWL SCHEDULE

Texas A&M (vs Oklahoma State) 12/27 Academy Sports + Outdoor Bowl Texas

LSU (vs Oklahoma) 12/28 Peach Bowl

Mississippi State (vs Louisville) 12/30 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Florida (vs Virginia) 12/30 Capital One Orange Bowl

Kentucky (vs Virginia Tech) 12/31 Belk Bowl

Alabama (vs Michigan) 1/1 Vrbo Citrus Bowl

Auburn (vs Minnesota) 1/1 Outback Bowl

Georgia (vs Baylor) 1/1 Allstate Sugar Bowl

Tennessee (vs Indiana) 1/2 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Feel free to check out my brand-new comic book Another Day at the Office or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
How long can the bullpen carry the Astros? Composite Getty Image.

Lance McCullers Jr. gave the Astros a much-needed boost Tuesday night with his first win since 2022 — a feel-good moment for a pitcher who's battled through years of setbacks. But while it’s a step in the right direction, expectations should remain measured. The most anyone can realistically hope for is a return to something close to his 2021 form, when he posted a 13-5 record over a career-high 28 starts — the only time he’s cleared 25. It’s taken six outings just to notch his first win this year, making another double-digit victory season feel unlikely. And as encouraging as McCullers’ presence is, one healthy arm won’t be enough to fix a team still searching for consistency.

That’s especially true when the Astros’ current rotation issues have already begun to place an unsustainable load on the bullpen. Ryan Gusto and Colton Gordon have done an admirable job, but they've struggled to provide length with most of their outings, averaging just 4-5 innings.

However, manager Joe Espada remains hesitant to go with an opener strategy. “We’re not there yet,” he said recently to The Athletic's Chander Rome. He likes what he’s seen from the middle-inning relievers, but even he knows the current formula has an expiration date. The Astros’ bullpen — a strength all season — can’t continue carrying the weight without eventually cracking.

Pitching isn’t the only concern

The offense continues to sputter, and it’s now reached a point where even a soft schedule doesn’t offer much comfort. In Wednesday’s loss to the Pirates, the Astros were shut out. And for the sixth straight game, Houston has scored three runs or fewer. Christian Walker, the hero just one night prior with a go-ahead home run off Paul Skenes, followed up with two strikeouts and a double-play ball. One step forward, two steps back.

Outside of Jeremy Peña, the rest of the lineup looks stuck. Over the last seven days, Houston ranks 26th in OPS, 23rd in slugging, and 27th in runs scored. Somehow, they still managed to go 3-3 in that stretch, a testament to their pitching depth, but hardly a sustainable formula.

In the big picture, the inconsistency is what hurts most. Some weeks, the Astros look like a top-five offense. Other times, they can’t seem to scratch out a single run. That’s how you end up 14th in OPS for the season — squarely in the middle — and 18th in total runs scored.

If Yainer Diaz and Christian Walker don’t find their stride soon, this team’s ceiling starts to look a lot lower. The starting pitching probably won’t be much better than what it’s already shown. Which means the offense, as flawed as it’s been, is going to have to do the heavy lifting.

McCullers may finally be back, but unless others start stepping up soon, Houston’s climb back into World Series contention will only get harder. Fortunately, the AL West isn’t exactly a powerhouse — a reality that gives the Astros some breathing room. Still, fans in Houston expect more than just winning a weak division. They’re used to chasing banners, not just playoff spots.

There's so much more to cover! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!

The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!

*ChatGPT assisted.

___________________________

Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!

https://houston.sportsmap.com/advertise

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome