THE SEC REPORT
The SEC Report: A&M wins, Alabama triumphs but falls in polls and LSU is the real winner of the weekend
Oct 29, 2019, 6:54 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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The Houston Astros return to action Wednesday night with a chance to get back on track and even their three-game set against the visiting Chicago White Sox.
White Sox continue to have Houston's number
After falling 4–2 in Tuesday’s opener, the Astros now trail the season series 3–1 and will turn to Ryan Gusto (3-3, 4.78 ERA) in hopes of steadying the ship and reinforcing their grip on first place in the AL West.
Houston enters the matchup at 36–30 overall and 22–13 at home, a mark that reflects just how comfortable they've been playing in front of their fans. Though the offense has been inconsistent at times, the Astros are an impressive 19–4 when they manage to keep the ball in the yard — a stat that will be key with Gusto on the mound. The young right-hander has had an up-and-down season, but he'll be tasked with limiting a White Sox offense that did just enough to sneak away with a win in the opener.
Chicago, meanwhile, continues to play with a bit of unexpected edge despite sitting in last place in the AL Central. At 23–44, the White Sox have struggled most of the season — particularly on the road, where they’re just 7–26. Still, they've now won four of their last five games and will hand the ball to Sean Burke (3-6, 4.03 ERA), a righty who’s shown flashes of command and competitiveness in his rookie campaign.
The Astros will once again lean on their veterans to lead the way at the plate. Jose Altuve continues to be a consistent presence at the top of the lineup with nine home runs and 24 RBIs on the year. Yainer Diaz, who’s 10-for-39 with three home runs over his last 10 games, has started to find his swing again and could be a factor in the middle of the order. Houston will need more of that timely hitting if they want to avoid dropping their second straight at home — something that hasn’t happened often this year.
On the other side, Chase Meidroth has quietly become one of Chicago’s more reliable bats. Hitting .293 with five doubles and a pair of homers, Meidroth’s emergence adds some much-needed spark to a lineup that’s lacked consistency. Andrew Benintendi, hitting .257 over his last 10 games with four doubles, has also begun to warm up at the plate.
Both teams come in with nearly identical offensive production over their last 10 games — the Astros hitting .227 to the White Sox’s .226 — but Houston holds the edge in ERA at 3.44 compared to Chicago’s 4.04. That said, the Astros have been outscored by five runs over that stretch, and will need to clean up a few things on both sides of the ball to avoid falling into a mini-slide during this six-game homestand.
First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET from Daikin Park, with Houston looking to reassert itself against a team it hasn’t solved yet this season. A win would not only even the series — it would also be a reminder that the Astros remain very much in control of their own narrative heading into the summer grind.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -181, White Sox +150; over/under is 8 1/2 runs.
Here's an early look at Houston's lineup for Game 2
Wednesday night matchup.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
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— Houston Astros (@astros) June 11, 2025
Jacob Melton is hitting last and remains the left fielder with Altuve back at second base. Diaz is once again in the cleanup spot as Walker is hitting fifth. Victor Caratini will hit behind Walker and serve as the DH. Otherwise, a pretty typical lineup for Joe Espada's club.
*ChatGPT assisted.
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