THE SEC REPORT

The SEC Report: A&M wins, Alabama triumphs but falls in polls and LSU is the real winner of the weekend

Cory De La Guardia
Oct 29, 2019, 6:54 am
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

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

Texas A&M held up against Mississippi State in spite of their defense. Alabama thinks they have a quarterback after they drummed Arkansas for 235 yards and three touchdowns and LSU jumped over Alabama into the number #1 position on the country after beating Auburn in a close game. It's a little odd that LSU jumped over Alabama after closely beating an Auburn that only barely beat A&M but hey, they have to play Alabama next weekend so we'll see who deserves what then.

THE THREE STARS OF LAST WEEKEND

Lynn Bowden Jr, running back of Kentucky, had himself a day with 204 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries against a Missouri team that was, until recently, in the pole position for their division for the SEC championship game.

Kellen Mond, Quarterback of Texas A&M, in a game they basically had to have he came out and slung it for 234 yards and put three touchdowns on the scoreboard. A&M's season hangs in the balance and it will take great poise and a solid quarterback.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, running back of LSU, on 26 carries he got 136 yards and a touchdown in a game where they needed every yard and every point. It must be thankless to be the starting running back of a team with a potential Heisman winning quarterback on it, because you won't get a lot of love nationally.

THIS WEEKEND

So we live in a world where I correctly predicted last week that LSU would leapfrog Alabama with a win, I just thought it would be a clear win and it wasn't. This week both Alabama and LSU are off as they prepare for their must see game next weekend but this week everyone needs to be watching Georgia coming to Gainesville in a game that desperately matters to the SEC championship game. Also Texas A&M hosts UTSA in a game that while not SEC relevant matters to Aggies, and Ole Miss comes to Auburn who really needs a win.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND

Kyle Trask, quarterback of Florida. Florida is in a position to get to the SEC championship game by just playing winning football. All they have to do is keep playing good football and usually the quarterback is directly responsible for this.

D'Andre Swift, running back of Georgia. This is the big game this week. Numbers 1 and 2 of the SEC East are playing in a game that is likely to decide one of the two teams that plays in the SEC championship game so the star running back may want to step up.

Bo Nix, quarterback of Auburn. This is likely the last time his name appears on the list because if Bo doesn't win the rest of their season doesn't matter in the big picture. They need the freshman to find his mojo and quick or what started off as a great year may wind up being the year that broke Bo.

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.

sec report college football

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

Houston is moving on

Astros advance to ALDS with ALWC Game 2 win over Twins

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

After rallying in the ninth inning in Game 1 to take the pivotal opener of this best-of-three ALWC series, the Astros were in the driver's seat to try and end the series on Wednesday with another win at Target Field. Here is a quick rundown of Game 2:

Final Score: Astros 3, Twins 1.

Series: HOU Wins 2-0.

Winning Pitcher: Cristian Javier.

Losing Pitcher: Cody Stashak.

Houston gets the first hit and first run in the fourth

Through the first three innings, neither team could get a hit off of Jose Berrios or Jose Urquidy, though the Twins did load the bases in the bottom of the first on two walks and an error, but Urquidy would strand the runners before getting 1-2-3 innings in the second and third.

Meanwhile, the Astros lineup was retired in order in three perfect innings by Berrios. That changed in the top of the fourth when Houston would get back-to-back two-out walks to set up the first hit of the game, an RBI-single by Kyle Tucker to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.

Dusty Baker makes another early call to the bullpen before Twins tie it up

Urquidy was able to keep the 1-0 lead by working around a two-out single in the bottom of the fourth, the first hit for the Twins. He returned in the fifth, allowing a leadoff single before a strikeout for the first out. Dusty Baker would pull another early hook, like Greinke the day prior, dipping into his bullpen early to end Urquidy's day at just 76 pitches in the fifth. His final line: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 76 P.

Brooks Raley was who Baker called on to face the top of the Twins' lineup. He would walk his first batter, putting runners on first and second, get a strikeout for the second out, then allow an RBI-double to Nelson Cruz that almost scored a second, go-ahead run. Instead, the runner was out at home thanks to a terrific defensive play by Carlos Correa, bulleting the ball to Maldonado at home, who made a great tag to save the run and keep it tied 1-1.

Correa homers, Astros advance to ALDS

After Raley completed the fifth inning for Urquidy, Cristian Javier was the next reliever out to begin the bottom of the sixth. He would toss a 1-2-3 frame, sending the tie game to the seventh. In the top of the seventh, Carlos Correa broke the tie with a long, loud two-out solo home run to center-field, putting the Astros back in front 2-1.

Javier held on to the one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh by working around a leadoff walk, then returned for the eighth. He would get through it scoreless, despite allowing a one-out walk to Nelson Cruz, who would be pinch-ran for by the speedy Byron Buxton. After a strikeout for out number two, Javier would catch Buxton between first and second base in a rundown, getting the big final out of the inning.

Houston added insurance in the top of the ninth, getting two on base before an RBI-single by Kyle Tucker, his second of the day to make it 3-1. That left things up to closer Ryan Pressly, making his first appearance of the postseason. He would notch the save, advancing the Astros to the ALDS for their fourth-straight year.

Up Next: The Astros will now have a few days off to travel to the west coast before starting their ALDS with the winner of the A's / White Sox ALWC series. Game 1 of their ALDS will be on Monday, October 5th, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, with start time TBD.

astros score astros recap astros vs twins twins score twins recap mlb mlb recap mlb score alwc game 2 alwc recap cristian javier astros

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome