THE SEC REPORT
Mississippi State lost a close game, Tennessee finally won and Florida looked vulnerable
Sep 17, 2019, 6:57 am
THE SEC REPORT
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!
This weekend in college football was a surprisingly tame one. The SEC saw only great days on the field with the exception of Mississippi State having to go to their Freshman back up in the second half and losing to Kansas State. Tennessee finally found someone they can beat and Florida may want to start celebrating their run in the top ten in days and not weeks.
Isaiah Spiller, running back, A&M, ran for116 yards on only 14 carries and made two housecalls against Lamar. A monster of a game.
Cale Garrett, inside linebacker, Missouri, had a pick 6 very early on in their dominant win against The Redhawks and finished the game with a shut out.
The SEC as a whole; which after 3 full weeks has 5 teams in the top 10. Alabama, Georgia and LSU in the top 5 and Florida and Auburn towards the bottom and while I don't think Florida will stay up there and one of Alabama, Georgia and LSU will eventually come out of that top 5, it is impressive right now.
This weekend, there are exactly three games that need to be watched in the SEC. Florida hosting Tennessee, simply because I feel like this is where the upset could happen; Florida has been a shaky high rank and Tennessee has actually started to feel good about itself. In the afternoon slot, Auburn comes to Texas A&M in a powerhouse matchup that will be worth the watch as the true Freshman quarterback of Auburn, Nix, continues his dream season. Saturday night, Notre Dame comes to Georgia and we'll see if they brought a golden fiddle.
The Three Players to Watch this week:
Jarrett Guarantano, quarterback, Tennessee had three touchdowns on 7 completions and 142 yards of offense. That's the kind of efficiency and killer instinct he'll need to stay in this game against Florida.
Bo Nix, quarterback, Auburn, this kid is too young to know how impressive he's playing and hopefully he isn't listening to any of the praise and staying levelheaded. He's proven he doesn't get rattled by the moment, so can he win on the road in one of the loudest stadiums in college football, Kyle Field?
The Georgia defense. They are going to be playing a potent, hard to stop, mobile quarterback-based offense. Every time there isn't a great pass open, he's going to run, so they have to cover everyone including him, it's going to be a true test.
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The Houston Astros are finally starting to show signs of turning the corner. After a sluggish start to the season, the offense is beginning to click, the pitching staff remains dominant, and the impact of the Kyle Tucker trade is starting to look like a clear win.
One of the more encouraging developments has been the recent plate discipline from Christian Walker. Known for his power but also for chasing pitches out of the zone, Walker has now drawn multiple walks in four straight games. It's a sign that his approach is tightening up—and he's recovered from his oblique discomfort, starting every game this season.
Yainer Diaz has also provided a much-needed spark. After a quiet stretch at the plate, Diaz came alive with a grand slam against the Angels, his most impactful swing of the year and a potential sign that his bat is heating up.
But the biggest buzz in Houston may be around the players acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade. Cam Smith has looked like he belongs in the big leagues, holding his own at the plate and flashing confidence in the field. Isaac Paredes, meanwhile, has posted a higher OPS than Alex Bregman, while right-hander Hayden Wesneski turned heads by striking out 10 Angels in a dominant start. Early returns suggest the deal could pay off big for the Astros.
Statistically, the Astros offense is still a work in progress, but it's no longer at the bottom of the barrel. After sitting dead last in slugging and near the bottom in OPS last week, Houston has climbed to 23rd in team OPS—right in the mix with the Rangers and Mariners. Slugging percentage still lags behind (27th overall), but there's some movement in the right direction.
Houston has scored the 21st-most runs in the league—better than only the Rangers in the AL West. Yet thanks to strong pitching, the Astros sit at +2 in run differential, the only team in the division with a positive mark.
That pitching has been the backbone of the team so far. Houston ranks 13th in ERA at 3.69, is third in opponent batting average (.190), and leads all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts with 166. It’s a staff that keeps them in every game and has the potential to dominate when the offense catches up.
The early season numbers still reflect a team trying to find its footing, but the signs are there. If the recent progress continues—Walker’s improved discipline, Diaz’s power, and the emergence of new contributors—Houston could soon be back to the top of the AL West.
We have 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!
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