SEC Championship Odds, Picks and Predictions – College Football Betting Preview

• SEC Championship odds feature Alabama and Georgia as heavy favorites
• LSU Tigers have the exact same SEC title and NCAA Championship odds
• Read below to find out where the betting value lies in the SEC this college football season

The SEC conference is a two-horse race, and it has been for the last few seasons. With conference realignment coming in College Football, and Oklahoma and Texas set to join the SEC in 2024 this will be one of the last seasons we see just 14 teams in the SEC. But for now, everything remains the same, with the reigning College Football National Champion, Georgia Bulldogs, taking second place in the SEC Championship odds.

Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide were SEC Champions in 2021 after taking down the No. 1 team in the country, the Georgia Bulldogs. They struggled mightily in the regular season though losing to Texas A&M and only beating Auburn, Florida, and Louisiana State by a combined 10 points. A few other teams could challenge Alabama or Georgia for supremacy in the SEC. Texas A&M just signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country and beat Alabama just last season. Additionally, Tennessee returns eight starters on offense including their quarterback, top wide receiver, and lead running back.

SEC Championship Odds

Odds are courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook

One very interesting thing I found when looking at these odds is that LSU has the exact same odds to bring home the SEC title as they do to win the NCAA championship. Louisiana sports betting is one of the few legalized states amongst schools in the SEC conference. Sports bettors can claim the best online sports betting promos and start betting on college sports in the SEC. The hometown LSU Tigers are coming off the worst season they’ve had since 1999, sporting a 6-7 record, but their team total sits at 7.0 for 2022.

Another longshot in the SEC championship odds is the Auburn Tigers. Auburn has been through turmoil in the off-season including the firing of Gus Malzahn, and then the hiring of Bryan Harsin. They lost their starting QB from last season, Bo Nix, to the Oregon Ducks and brought in Zach Calzada from Texas A&M to fill his spot as the starter.

SEC Betting Favorites: Alabama or Georgia

There are clearly two top dogs in the SEC, which is how it has been for a while. The Alabama Crimson Tide are the betting favorites at -140, while the Georgia Bulldogs narrowly trail them at +140.

Alabama comes into next season with the reigning Heisman trophy winner, Bryce Young, the best player in college football, Will Anderson, and the best coach of all time in Nick Saban. That doesn’t mention the litany of top-tier players and All-American candidates they have littered throughout their roster. Plain and Simple the Crimson Tide are the most loaded squad in the country and returns a roster that has an 89% blue chip ratio which means about 9/10 players were either four or five-star recruits. The next highest in the country is Ohio State at 80%. Coming off an SEC Championship and a Heisman Bryce Young is the runner-up in the 2022 Heisman odds at Caesars Sportsbook. CJ Stroud is the favorite at +200 while Young sits at just +430.

This Alabama offense figures to reload once again with Georgia Tech transfer, Jahmyr Gibbs taking over the backfield as well as other transfers, Jermaine Burton and Tyler Harrell, who will take over at receiver. Alabama’s schedule shapes up quite nicely this season and their likely two toughest games are against the Texas Longhorns in Austin and Texas A&M at home.

At third place in the blue-chip ratio rankings are the Georgia Bulldogs who sit at 77%. Georgia is coming off a National Championship win against Alabama and will look to bring that momentum into 2022. Despite losing 15 starters, including 8 on defense they have the second best odds at an SEC championship, and the third best at a National Championship. They will try to replace one of the best defenses of all time with a stockpile of talent led by junior Jalen Carter, and team captain, Nolan Smith, both projected first-round picks next season. Kelee Ringo who had the game-sealing pick-6 in the National Championship game is also back as a rising sophomore.

Also worth noting:

Southern Miss PPG from 2013-15:
2013: 17.1
2014: 19
2015: 38.9

Georgia PPG from 2020-21:
2020: 32.3
2021: 38.6

If you keep Monken around, the offensive production will continue to climb.

— Jonathan Williams (@Dr_JWill) July 23, 2022

The biggest question for this team is whether or not Stetson Bennett can live up to his new expectations. He will have plenty of weapons to help him shine, including All-American tight end Brock Bowers, who is projected as a top-15 pick in two seasons. The Bulldogs have a fairly easy schedule in 2022 with their hardest conference games coming at home against Tennessee and on the road at Kentucky. Their toughest test of the season will be in week one against the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz stadium. I like both Alabama’s and Georgia’s over 11 wins, but I am not taking them at their current prices, as there are certain SEC bets I feel much more comfortable making.

Texas A&M Longshot to win SEC?

Texas A&M is the only team in this conference that has a legitimate chance this season to upend either Alabama or Georgia for the SEC title. In the last eight seasons, only one team other than Alabama or Georgia has won the SEC title, LSU in 2019. The Aggies’ defense finished seventh in the country last season and are returning 55% of their production. Their problem is at the quarterback position. They are currently in the midst of a QB battle that includes Haynes King who was hurt most of 2021, Max Johnson a transfer from LSU, and five-star freshman Conner Weigman.

Whoever wins the starting job has plenty of talent around him on this offense, highlighted by running back, Devon Achane and receiver Ainias Smith. Achane had 910 rushing yards and 9 TDs last season as Isaiah Spiller’s backup and averaged an impressive 7.0 yards per carry. Additionally, Texas A&M just signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country which includes eight five-stars, four of which are defensive linemen. Those Lineman may have to step up very early as all four of A&M’s starting DL from last season are not on the roster anymore.

The Aggies have a very favorable schedule in 2022, avoiding the top three teams in the SEC East in Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. A&M’s toughest games this season include Alabama at Bryant-Denny, and Arkansas, Florida, Miami, and LSU at home. The Aggies’ win total in 2022 is set at 8.5 wins on Caesar’s Sportsbook and I predict them to hit their over with ease.

Best Over/Under Win Total Bets

Tennessee Volunteers Over 7.5 wins (-145)

This is one of my favorite bets in the SEC this season. Despite a disappointing 7-6 season last year, the Vols showed a lot of potential. They are returning 8 starters on an offense that ranked 9th in CFB last season. They will return their star QB, Hendon Hooker, who threw for 2900 yards, 31 TDs, and just 3 INTs last season. Additionally, they return their top rusher from last season, Jabari Small, and their top receiver, Cedric Tillman, who is fresh off a 1,000-yard, 12-TD season.

Tennessee has a relatively tough schedule in 2022 playing both Alabama and Georgia, but they should be favorites in just about every other game they play. Their next toughest contests include a game at Pittsburgh and home games against Florida and Kentucky, but they only need to go 8-4 for this bet to hit, which is only one more win from last season.

Arkansas Razorbacks Under 7.0 wins (-105)

Arkansas has a gauntlet of a schedule in 2022, that ranks as the third hardest schedule in CFB according to FBSchedules. They open the season against the Cincinnati Bearcats who made the College Football Playoff in 2021. They also have out-of-conference games against Liberty at home and BYU on the road. In the SEC, they play away games against Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Auburn, and have home games against Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss.

Although, Arkansas returns its starting QB, KJ Jefferson, and numerous starters on the offensive line they only return a total of 5 starters on offense and 4 on defense. That is the second least amount of returning starters in the SEC behind only LSU.