As is the case with every conference at the D-1 level in college football, there are going to be some significant changes in the SEC in the coming campaign after the latest round of realignment.
The addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the conference will only make what was already the toughest league schedule that much more daunting. Imagine how difficult the slate will be at NCAAF betting sites when the SEC adds Clemson and Florida State.
Still, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, especially when adding the Sooners and Longhorns to the mix isn’t driving the futures odds in the conference as much as the subtraction of one head coach from the sidelines.
2024 SEC Championship Odds
| Florida State | +270 |
|---|---|
| Clemson | +300 |
| Miami (FL) | +450 |
| Louisville | +600 |
| North Carolina State | +650 |
| Virginia Tech | +1400 |
| SMU | +1800 |
| North Carolina | +4500 |
| Syracuse | +4500 |
| California | +10000 |
| Georgia Tech | +10000 |
| Duke | +11000 |
| Pittsburgh | +11000 |
| Virginia | +13000 |
| Boston College | +13000 |
| Wake Forest | +25000 |
| Stanford | +50000 |
How Long Will DeBoer’s Honeymoon Last With Tide Fans?
Yes, there are two new teams to consider when betting on who wins the SEC this year, and yes, there was a lot of movement – good and bad – via the transfer portal in the conference.
Still, the change that is having the biggest impact on the NCAAF odds is the absence of Nick Saban, who retired after 17 seasons running things in Tuscaloosa, six of those campaigns ending with the Crimson Tide claiming national championships.
Don’t believe me? Ask yourself this one question: Would Alabama be fetching a return of close to 10/1 at some outlets if Saban was still at the helm? If you answered “yes,” then do yourself a favor and save your dough for wagering on cornhole or pickleball tournaments.
Kalen DeBoer, one of three new head coaches in the SEC and formerly employed at Washington, draws the enviable job of coaching in Tuscaloosa as well as the unenviable job of replacing a legend like Saban.
There’s plenty of talent in Tuscaloosa, with DeBoer’s job made easier with the return of QB Jalen Milroe. However, it won’t be easy with a schedule that includes a home game against Georgia and roadies at Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma, plus a non-con trip to Wisconsin.
Smart & UGA – Top Dawgs in the Country
Then again, it’s never an easy schedule in the SEC, and Georgia will be the toughest opponent for anyone this season if online sportsbooks are correct. The Bulldogs are a $2 return at some shops to win the conference, and around +350 to win it all.
Now that Saban is gone, the SEC is there for Kirby Smart to rule…or so it seems. Smart isn’t the longest-tenured head coach in the league; Kentucky’s Mark Stoops begins his 12th season in that role. Still, make no mistake that Smart replaces Saban as the coach to beat, on and off the field.
Carson Beck returns under center, and Smart has 1st-stringers playing as 2nd- and 3rd-stringers on his depth chart thanks to the transfer portal.
Smart and the Bulldogs are going to be tested early, opening in Atlanta against Clemson and traveling to Alabama in Week 5. There are also roadies at Texas and Ole Miss in October and November, respectively.
Speaking of the Longhorns & Rebels…
Trailing Smart – a former Saban assistant at Alabama – and the Bulldogs on the futures odds board are two more of Saban assistants, Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns and Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels.
Texas has closed the gap on Georgia as the second pick in the SEC, the Longhorns priced as low as +260. Coincidentally, Texas QB Quinn Ewers is also running second to Bulldogs QB Carson Beck on the Heisman odds.
Sarkisian and the Longhorns host Smart and the Bulldogs on October 19th in a game that could potentially decide both the Heisman Trophy and which school draws the top seed for the SEC Championship. Texas also travels to Michigan and has the annual Red River Shootout with Oklahoma.
Kiffin has Jaxson Dart, another Heisman hopeful, at pivot for the Rebels, who have a very friendly schedule. The two toughest games will be LSU and Oklahoma, those contests coming in October with a bye week between them.
Could SEC Put 5 Teams Into Expanded Playoffs?
The assumption is that the top 4 favorites to win the SEC – Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama – are good bets to fill a third of the dozen slots that will make up the field in this year’s College Football Playoffs. Another foursome will battle to try and make it 5 SEC schools in the mix.
Brian Kelly and LSU show up fifth on the list of conference odds, and the Tigers face a daunting schedule with non-conference games against USC and UCLA plus SEC matchups against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma.
Tennessee closely follows LSU, with Missouri and Texas A&M trailing the Volunteers. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, all three have their own tough slates to negotiate in hopes of sneaking into the playoffs.
