Odds released for every Week 1 SEC football game

SEC football will certainly have a different look in 2020, but the conference remains set on a season after tonight’s revised schedule release. The SEC, like the rest of college football, saw its 2020 season altered significantly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As teams report to campus and begin training camp, the SEC is the latest to reveal its 2020 schedule with the action just one month away. The SEC’s season officially begins Sept. 26 with a full slate of games. 

But who are the favorites?

The team at SportsLine crunched the numbers just hours after the SEC locked in its schedule, and here is a look at the favorites when SEC football begins in Week 1.

VANDERBILT AT TEXAS A&M (-28.5)
It is no surprise to see the Aggies as huge favorites in this matchup. The Commodores brought back coach Derek Mason for 2020 but the pressure is on without a winning season since his arrival in Nashville. For Texas A&M, coach Jimbo Fisher has had strong recruiting classes to bolster his roster, and hopes to take a step forward in his third season in College Station. This is Kellen Mond’s third full season at quarterback after 44 touchdowns and over 6,000 yards passing the last two years.

GEORGIA (-24) AT ARKANSAS
The Bulldogs are big favorites on the road as the Sam Pittman era begins in Fayetteville against a familiar opponent for the former Georgia offensive line coach. Arkansas has nowhere to go but up after last year’s ugly performances, but there is certainly new excitement with Pittman in charge. Unfortunately, that will not help against SEC Championship hopeful Georgia. The Bulldogs have to replace big names like D'Andre Swift and Andrew Thomas offensively. Jake Fromm’s departure, however, is the most interesting in an ongoing battle between transfer quarterbacks Jamie Newman (Wake Forest) and JT Daniels (USC). Who gets the nod against the Razorbacks?

 

FLORIDA (10.5) AT OLE MISS

(PhIt is the start of the Lane Kiffin era in Oxford against an experienced Florida Gators team with eyes on an SEC Championship Game in Dan Mullen’s third season. This has the potential for a stellar quarterback faceoff with Kyle Trask and John Rhys Plumlee back for the Gators and Rebels respectively. Trask threw 25 touchdowns and totaled 2,941 yards last year after he replaced Feleipe Franks. The dual-threat Ole Miss quarterback combined for 1,933 passing and rushing yards last year and 16 touchdowns.

ALABAMA (-21.5) AT MISSOURI
Eli Drinkwitz likely gets his “welcome to the SEC” moment against a Nick Saban team with eyes on another national title. The Crimson Tide have an interesting quarterback situation between freshman phenom Bryce Young and the seasoned Mac Jones. But whatever Saban and Steve Sarkisian decide, the quarterback has big weapons to go to, including Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle. Defensively, Dylan Moses is back from injury and hungry to hit somebody.

MISSISSIPPI STATE AT LSU (-18.5)
Mike Leach could also be in line for a “welcome to the SEC” moment with the defending national champs as his Week 1 opponent. Points will certainly be scored in this game. For the Bulldogs, it will be the likely debut of graduate transfer quarterback KJ Costello. For LSU, it will be the first game since a dominant College Football Playoff showing. Yes, everyone from Joe Burrow to Joe Brady to Dave Aranda and a slew of other future NFL stars are gone. But Coach O is back and his players are fired up, including cornerback Derek Stingley, who was a breakout star at cornerback last season.

TENNESSEE (-1) AT SOUTH CAROLINA
The Vols have the slightest of edges, according to SportsLine. Tennessee took a big step under Jeremy Pruitt late in the year with six wins in a row, including the Gator Bowl. Now, the Vols look to shake up the SEC East. For the Gamecocks, the pressure is on Will Muschamp after last year’s frustrating 4-8 season. The Vols lead the all-time series 26-10-2, but South Carolina has three of the last four. Last year, Tennessee won 41-21 in Knoxville.

KENTUCKY AT AUBURN (NL)
There is no line yet on what should be one of the top games of the first week in the SEC football season. Kentucky heads into 2020 with plenty of motivation under coach Mark Stoops. A thrilling Belk Bowl win over Virginia Tech sends the Wildcats into 2020 with back-to-back bowl wins. Quarterback Terry Wilson returns at quarterback after do-it-all star Lynn Bowden took over last season. On the Auburn side of things, this will be the debut of a new-look offense under former Arkansas head coach Chad Morris. Will quarterback Bo Nix have the same season-opening magic that he did last year in the win over Oregon?

SOURCE: Seats, Alex. "Odds released for every Week 1 SEC football game. "Odds released for every Week 1 SEC football game." 247Sports.com, 18 August 2020, https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/SEC-2020-Week-1-football-game-odds-150399541/#150399541_7