Well, SEC fans, this is it. Football season has come and gone for another year, so it’s time for a final SEC summary. The conference is again home to the BCS national champion (for the seventh year in a row) and can also claim this year’s Heisman winner, Johnny Manziel. The SEC sent nine teams to bowls and came away with a record of 6-3. Five teams didn’t make it to the postseason: Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Auburn. Of those five, Missouri is the only one who won’t have a new coach next season. None of them finished with more than two wins in the conference or more than five wins overall, and both Auburn and Kentucky went winless in SEC play.

Vanderbilt 38, North Carolina State 24

The Commodores capped off a fantastic season by topping the Wolfpack in the 2012 Music City Bowl. Vandy got the scoring started in the first quarter, as QB Jordan Rodgers hit Chris Boyd with a 5-yard TD pass just over five minutes into the game. The ‘Dores took a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter, when Zac Stacy ran six yards to the end zone, but NC State got on the board with a touchdown of their own with just over six minutes remaining in the quarter. Vanderbilt went back up by two scores on their next possession, but then the Wolfpack’s Tobais Palmer took a kickoff 94 yards to cut the lead. Rodgers found Jordan Matthews for an 18-yard TD with less than a minute remaining in the half, though, to put the Commodores up 28-14 heading into the locker rooms. The Commodores tacked on a field goal in the third quarter before NC State added one of their own to open the fourth quarter. Each team scored once more, both touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough for the Wolfpack to overcome the deficit.

Rodgers went 16-of-25 for 108 yards and two touchdowns. NC State QB Mike Glennon was 35-of-53 for 383 yards, a TD, and three interceptions. Stacy had 25 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown and Matthews had seven catches for 61 yards and a TD to lead the Commodores. Creecy had nine carries for 43 yards and a touchdown and Palmer had eight receptions for 111 yards to lead the Wolfpack. NCSU racked up 24 first downs compared to Vandy’s 17 and outgained the ‘Dores 424-225 in total yardage, but managed only 41 yards on the ground and turned the ball over five times.

Vanderbilt finishes the season 9-4 overall and 5-3 in the SEC. North Carolina State finishes 7-6 overall and 4-4 in the ACC.

» Continue reading “SEC Summary: Bowl Game/2012 Wrap Up Edition”

We found out yesterday that Florida would be playing in the College World Series, while LSU would not. Today, both South Carolina and Arkansas punched their tickets to Omaha. Check out a full recap of the Gamecocks win over the Sooners here, and read on to find out about the Razorbacks’ extra innings win.

Arkansas 1, Baylor 0

It took 10 innings and a pinch hitter, but the Hogs are Omaha-bound.

Solid pitching from both teams kept the game scoreless through regulation, forcing extra innings. Arkansas had a chance to get on the board in the top of the ninth, but left two runners stranded.

In the top of the tenth, though, they managed to scrape across one run, which would end up being enough for the victory.

Brad Anderson led off with a single down the left field line, then reached second on a sac bunt from Bo Bigham. Matt Vinson struck out, bringing Jake Wise up to bat with one on and two outs.

In his only at-bat of the night, Wise laced an RBI single to bring Anderson home, then reached second on the throw. Joe Serrano grounded out to leave Wise stranded, but the damage was done.

BU actually had a chance to tie or win in the bottom of the inning, but they couldn’t capitalize. Josh Ludy coaxed a two-out walk and Max Muncy singled, but Dan Evatt K’d to end the threat and the game.

The teams had five hits each and the Bears also made one error. Wise led the Razorbacks at the plate, going 1-for-1, while Muncy went 2-for-5 to lead Baylor.

UA reliever Colby Suggs earned the win and improves to 7-0 on the season. He pitched the final two innings and allowed only one hit, issued two walks, and struck out two batters. Bears reliever Dillon Newman took the loss and drops to 4-4. He pitched only the final inning of the game and gave up one run on two hits and K’d one batter. Starter Tyler Bremer worked the first nine innings.

BU finishes the season with a 49-17 record. Arkansas’ overall record is now 44-20. They will face off against Kent State in Omaha.

After another day of Super Regionals action, one Southeastern Conference team is advancing to Omaha, another’s season is over, and two more will have to wait to find out their fates.

Florida 9, NC State 8

For the third year in a row, the Gators (47-18) are Omaha-bound. Despite a valiant last ditch attempt and multiple rallies by the Wolfpack (43-20), Florida managed to hang on and win in the 10th inning.

NC State got on the board first, in the bottom of the third, when Matt Bergquist knocked a one-out double to bring Brett Austin home from second. It didn’t take UF long to respond, though.

In the top of the fourth, the Gators put up four runs. Preston Tucker started things off with a homer to right, then Mike Zunino and Brian Johnson each doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. An RBI single from Casey Trugeon brought Zunino home and gave Florida the lead. A sac fly from Justin Shafer made it 3-1, and Vickash Ramjit singled to cap off the scoring.

The Wolfpack got right back in it in the bottom of the inning. Andrew Ciencin hit a one-out single, and Jake Fincher did the same thing. Brett Austin double to bring both men home and cut the score to 4-3. They had a chance to tie or take the lead in the inning, but couldn’t capitalize.

In the bottom of the fifth, though, NCSU tied it up with a homer from Chris Diaz. They took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Bergquist laced a one-out single and Trea Turner bunted to reach first base. With runners at first and second, Danny Canela roped an RBI single and brought Bergquist across the plate.

It was Florida’s turn to take the lead in the top of the eighth. Johnson went yard, then Daniel Pigott and Turgeon singled. Turgeon stole second, and with men at second and third, Shafer knocked an RBI single. » Continue reading “NCAA Super Regionals: Another Mixed Bag For The SEC”

Four teams from the Southeastern Conference are playing in the Super Regionals this weekend. Three of the teams, South Carolina, Florida, and LSU, are host sites for these games, while Arkansas is playing in the Waco Super Regional, where Baylor is the host. The Gamecocks and Gators currently have 1-0 leads in their Super Regional series, while Arkansas trails 0-1 and LSU is even at 1-1.

LSU 5, Stony Brook 4

This game was suspended in extras yesterday due to bad weather. It didn’t take long to finish up this morning, though, because just 10 minutes in, the Tigers walked off with a victory.

Kevin Gausmann, who would start Game 2, threw just 12 pitches to send the Seawolves down 1-2-3 in the top of the 12th. In LSU’s half of the inning, Tyler Moore singled, then advanced to second on a sac bunt by Austin Nola. JaCoby Jones was intentionally walked, putting runners on the corners with one out. Mason Katz was up next, and he knocked an RBI single to bring Moore home.

Stony Brook took an early lead when the game started Friday afternoon, when Sal Intagliata homered in the second inning. That gave the Seawolves a 2-0 lead, but the Tigers fought back to tie it, and Jones went yard in the bottom of the ninth to make the score 2-2.

SBU outhit LSU 14-9, but they also had three errors compared to LSU’s one. William Carmona led Stony Brook at the plate, going 3-for-5, and Moore went 2-for-3 to lead LSU.

Seawolves reliever Frankie Vanderka, who pitched only 1/3 of an inning Saturday morning, took the loss and dropped to 2-3 on the season. Gausmann got the win and improved to 12-1 on the year.

LSU’s record improved to 47-16 while Stony Brook fell to 50-13.

» Continue reading “NCAA Super Regionals: So Far, Mixed Results For The SEC”