The college football season is just around the corner. Three SEC teams made the College Football Playoff in 2025, and they are looking to add more playoff teams for the 2026 College Football Playoff. This is my preview of the conference, including my best bets for several SEC teams.
SEC Football Betting Preview
Texas (+270 to win the SEC)
Texas is the favorite to win the SEC in its second season in the conference. Their debut SEC season was largely a success, making the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Georgia Bulldogs had their number, handing Texas their lone regular-season loss and defeating them again in the conference championship game. Texas will look to take things a step forward this season, winning the conference and potentially a national championship. Most of the country is all in on Arch Manning. Manning is the Heisman Trophy favorite, despite playing limited snaps in his college career. I am going against the public and betting against Texas this season.
Texas will be a great team, but they have a tough schedule. Arch Manning needs to make his first start as “the guy” against Ohio State on the road. The defending national champions are the favorites in that game. Texas also needs to travel to Georgia, the team that beat them twice last year. They will be underdogs in both of those games. If Texas loses both, that puts them at ten wins. They would then need to lose just one more game to go under their win total. A road game against Florida, a neutral site game against Oklahoma and a rivalry game against Texas A&M are all spots where the Longhorns could slip up. Texas lost a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, and if Manning is not a superstar right off the jump, Texas might not meet its lofty expectations this season.
Best Bet: Texas u9.5 Wins (+140)
Georgia (+330 to win the SEC)
It’s hard to say that a season in which you win college football’s deepest conference is a disappointment, but 2024-25 didn’t quite go as planned for Georgia. They were strong national title contenders, and Carson Beck was touted as one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Beck struggled all season and Georgia’s defense was not up to the standards of their national title-winning teams. Georgia still managed to win the SEC, but lost in the College Football Playoff with Carson Beck on the sideline, injured. This year’s starting quarterback, Gunnar Stockton, gained some valuable experience last season, winning the SEC Championship Game and playing in the College Football Playoff.
My best bet is on Georgia to win the conference. The Bulldogs have made seven of the past eight SEC Championship Games, and they just never seem to have a drop-off. Last season, Texas likely had the better team and Carson Beck got hurt during the SEC Championship Game, but Georgia found a way to win. The Bulldogs made it that far last season, despite having arguably the toughest schedule in America. Their three toughest games, Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss, were all on the road. This season, they get those three teams at home, and don’t have any tough out-of-conference games like they did last year against Clemson. If the Bulldogs win at least two of those three big home games next season, they should be back in the conference championship game, and I will back Kirby Smart over anyone else until proven otherwise.
Best Bet: Georgia to win the SEC (+330)
Alabama (+380 to win the SEC)
Alabama missed out on the playoff in Kalen DeBoer’s first year at the helm. They inexplicably lost their second-to-last regular-season game against Oklahoma to miss out on a playoff spot, then laid an egg in their bowl game against Michigan. Quarterback Jalen Milroe is off to the NFL, and there is a quarterback battle to be the new guy in DeBoer’s offense. Junior Ty Simpson is expected to take the starting job to start the season, but true freshman Keelon Russell is a sensation and could steal the job if Simpson isn’t meeting the mark. Kalen DeBoer did get back his offensive coordinator from Washington, Ryan Grubb, after a one-year stint in the NFL. With superstar wide receiver Ryan Williams leading the way, DeBoer is hoping for a big season.
My best bet is for Alabama to have over 9.5 wins. Other than their road game against Georgia, Alabama should be favored in every other game they play this season. They may drop one of those games against LSU, on the road against South Carolina or a sneaky one like Oklahoma was last season. However, DeBoer has won everywhere that he has been, and with a favorable schedule, Alabama should get to ten wins and make the College Football Playoff this season.
Best Bet: Alabama o9.5 Wins (-120)
LSU (+700 to win the SEC)
Brian Kelly needs to make the College Football Playoff this season. He failed to make the College Football Playoff in two years with Jayden Daniels, then went 8-4 last season with Garrett Nussmeier. Nussmeier is back for one more season, and LSU needs to take a step forward. Unfortunately for them, their schedule doesn’t have many sure-fire wins on it. They have to play Alabama, Ole Miss and Clemson on the road, as well as face South Carolina, Florida and Texas A&M. Nussmeier is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, but with massive offensive line turnover and a shaky defense, it could be another disappointing season for the Tigers.
Texas A&M (+1500 to win the SEC)
It is Year 2 under Mike Elko in Aggieland. Texas A&M went 8-4 in the regular season, and Elko provided some much-needed stability off the field. Elko will hope to take things to the next level this season, competing for the conference and a playoff spot. Marcel Reed is back at quarterback after taking over the starting job last season. Reed is a special athlete, and along with Le’Veon Moss, they should have an elite running game. Elko is one of the best defensive coaches in the country, and if Reed can improve his consistency throwing the football, A&M could have a special season. It will be tough to navigate their schedule, but if this team hits its peak, they are playoff-caliber. That is why I am betting on them at +215 to make the College Football Playoff at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Best Bet: Texas A&M to Make the Playoff (+215)
Ole Miss (+1600 to win the SEC)
Last season was a major disappointment for Ole Miss. They had their best defense in a decade and a first-round NFL draft pick at quarterback, but missed out on the College Football Playoff by losing their second-to-last regular-season game against Florida. It will be a new-look Ole Miss team, as Lane Kiffin once again raided the portal to find talent to replace all of the players that left for the NFL. At quarterback, however, they are rolling with someone who was there last season, sophomore Austin Simmons. If Simmons clicks right away, this could be the dark horse team to make the College Football Playoff out of the SEC. Just like A&M, I am taking Ole Miss to make the postseason. Other than their road game against Georgia, they get their toughest opponents at home, South Carolina, LSU and Florida. If Ole Miss loses to Georgia but takes two of those three home games, they should win ten games and make the College Football Playoff.
Best Bet: Ole Miss to Make the Playoff (+175)
Florida (+1800 to win the SEC)
Florida is one of the most hyped teams of the offseason due to sophomore sensation DJ Lagway. Lagway was expected to be a backup last season, but took over the starting job with a few games to go. He wasn’t perfect, but he made some dazzling plays, showing what he is capable of at this level. If Lagway is the sensation that some people think he will be, this Florida team could have a great season. However, most of the roster is still not up to Lagway’s level. They also, once again, have a brutal schedule. They have road games against Miami, LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss. They also have a neutral site game against Georgia, and home games against Texas and Tennessee. Even if Lagway meets expectations, it’s hard to imagine Florida winning ten games and making the CFP. If Lagway doesn’t reach his peak this season, it could be a rough season for Florida, which sees Billy Napier’s tenure come to an end.
Tennessee (+2500 to win the SEC)
Tennessee is the team that was the beneficiary of Ole Miss and Alabama’s late losses last season, sneaking into the CFP as the third SEC team. They were dominated by the eventual national champions, but it was a good season for Tennessee. They would have had high expectations this season if it weren’t for their offseason drama. Nico Iamaleava led them to the postseason in his freshman season at quarterback and would have been a top Heisman contender if he returned to Tennessee. However, Iamaleava decided to transfer out, leaving Tennessee in a tough spot. They brought in Joey Aguilar from Appalachian State, who has had a great career, but has likely shown his ceiling. They also have some young options who could replace Aguilar if he doesn’t meet the moment. The Volunteers also lost some stars to the NFL, and with so much uncertainty, I won’t be betting futures on them in either direction.
South Carolina (+2500 to win the SEC)
South Carolina had a special 2024 season, but came up just short of the College Football Playoff. They had a defense full of NFL talent, and freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers was one of the revelations of last season. Sellers is back and could be one of the best quarterbacks in the country next season. Sophomore sensation Dylan Stewart is also back at EDGE, but outside of him, South Carolina lost a ton on the defensive side of the ball. This should be a very exciting team to watch on a weekly basis due to the incredible plays that Sellers makes, but they might not reach the heights of last season because of the defense. With road games against Texas A&M, Ole Miss and LSU, and home games against Clemson and Alabama, life will be tough for the Gamecocks. If they can win eight games, it will be a great season for South Carolina; then they just need to pray that Sellers returns for another year instead of heading to the NFL.
Oklahoma (+2800 to win the SEC)
It is a massive season for Brent Venables and the Sooners. They had a promising 2023 season in the Big 12, but unlike Texas, they did not meet the level of the SEC in 2024. It was a disappointing 6-6 season for the Sooners, which then saw their supposed quarterback of the future, Jackson Arnold, hit the transfer portal. They did a good job of bringing in John Mateer from Washington State, along with his old offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. They also added a great running back, Jadyn Ott, from Cal. They were devastated by injuries at wide receiver last season, and if those guys can stay healthy, this offense could take a big leap forward from last season. If Mateer clicks, this could be a feisty team that pulls off an upset of a top team in the league, but they are unlikely to contend for the league themselves.
Auburn (+2800 to win the SEC)
Auburn is another team in desperate need of a leap forward. After a 6-6 2023 season in Hugh Freeze’s first year, they took a step back and went 5-7 in 2024. Auburn is recruiting at a high level, but not seeing results on the field yet. They brought in Jackson Arnold from Oklahoma to be their new quarterback and are hoping he finds more success than he had in Norman. They have a tough schedule, which starts with a tough out-of-conference road game against Baylor, and they get Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M from the top of the SEC. If they can win eight games, it would be a huge success for Freeze. That will largely depend on whether or not things click with Arnold, and if they don’t, Freeze’s seat will get hot in a hurry.
Missouri (+6000 to win the SEC)
There is a big drop in odds to win the conference from Auburn and Oklahoma at 28/1 to Missouri at 60/1. The Tigers lost their offensive stars, QB Brady Cook and WR Luther Burden, to the NFL. They brought in Bo Pribula from Penn State to be their new quarterback, who proved to be a good runner at Penn State, but didn’t show much else. This whole offense is basically a rebuild for Missouri and it’s hard to envision them winning a lot of games in this tough conference. Some of their more winnable games in teams in their tier of the conference, such as Auburn, Oklahoma and Arkansas, all come on the road. If Missouri can just make a bowl game with this schedule, it will be a decent season for the Tigers.
Arkansas (+15000 to win the SEC)
Sam Pittman salvaged his job by getting Arkansas to a bowl game last season. Pittman was on the hottest of hot seats after a 4-8 season in 2023. However, they brought in Bobby Petrino to call the offense, and their young quarterback, Taylen Green, did enough to get the Hogs to six wins. Unfortunately, I don’t see the Razorbacks taking a step forward in Year 2 of the partnership between Petrino and Green. They lost a lot of talent at wide receiver and won’t have a great passing game unless Green massively improves over the offseason. They are also depleted on the defensive line and will struggle to get a pass rush. It’s hard to imagine them winning against any of their six toughest opponents, Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee or Notre Dame. That would require them to be perfect in their coin flip SEC matchups against Missouri and Auburn, as well as out-of-conference against Memphis. That is why I am betting on Arkansas to have under 5.5 wins on the season.
Best Bet: Arkansas u5.5 Wins (-130)
Vanderbilt (+20000 to win the SEC)
It was a special 2024 season for Vanderbilt. Diego Pavia became one of the biggest stories in college football, leading Vanderbilt to their first bowl game since 2018. They beat Virginia Tech out of conference, played tight games against Missouri and Texas, but the highlight of the season was their incredible upset win over Alabama. Pavia is back at quarterback and Vanderbilt hopes to take things a step forward and be a real competitor in the SEC. They should be exciting on the offensive side of the ball with Pavia and star tight end Eli Stowers, along with an improved offensive line. However, the defense will not be up to SEC standards.
The Commodores have three likely wins out of conference, so to get back to a bowl game, they would need three SEC wins. Other than their home game against Kentucky, they are likely to be underdogs in every other conference game. Teams will be much more aware of how to prepare for Vanderbilt’s offense after last season, and they will no longer be treated like a free win by opposing SEC coaching staffs. Pavia’s style of play could still catch a team off guard, and they could have another signature upset win next season. However, everything would need to break in their favor to get back to six wins. So, I am betting the under on their win total at 5.5 wins.
Best Bet: Vanderbilt u5.5 Wins (-160)
Kentucky (+25000 to win the SEC)
Kentucky is on a downward trajectory in this conference that Mark Stoops might not survive for much longer. After being one of the feistier teams in the SEC for a few seasons, the Wildcats went 4-8 last season. It was their first time missing out on a bowl game in eight seasons. Their talent has not been able to keep up with the rest of the conference, and they haven’t had consistent quarterback play in a long time. Zach Calzada, formerly of Auburn, Texas A&M and Incarnate Word, will be their quarterback this season. Kentucky had a massive roster overhaul this offseason, and while that might be good in the long term, they should struggle again this year.
Mississippi State (+50000 to win the SEC)
Mississippi State was the worst team in the SEC last year, going winless in the conference. This season, it could be more of the same in Starkville. Last year’s quarterback to start the season before getting injured, Blake Shapen, is likely to start this season as well. Shapen is an experienced college quarterback, but doesn’t have enough talent to compete in the SEC every week. Jeff Lebby is trying to build something up in Starkville, but this roster is still way behind the curve. At plus-money, I am willing to take a bet on them to go winless in the conference again. They have three out-of-conference games that they should win on paper, even though they dropped one to Toledo last season, so something like that could happen again. If they do win those three, they would then need to beat Arizona State or win an SEC game to get over their win total. Their two easiest conference games, Arkansas and Missouri, both come on the road. That makes it really tough for the Bulldogs to find a conference win, which means they could finish the season with just three wins.
