Odds suggest no SEC football team is running the 2020 gauntlet unscathed

It doesn’t seem like an SEC football team will go undefeated this season.

The 2020 SEC football season will be unlike any other college football season before it or since.

The SEC will go with a 10-game, conference-only schedule for the 2020 college football season. All 14 member institutions will play all six division rivals, their cross-divisional rival and three teams from the opposite division. The SEC typically plays an eight-game conference schedule, mostly because it has served them. Now, it looks like no SEC team will go undefeated this year.

Does any SEC football team have the ability to run the gauntlet unscathed?

Though there are as many as six teams in the SEC capable of getting to the College Football Playoff this year, the odds suggest no team will be capable of running the 2020 SEC gauntlet unscathed. According to SportsBetting.ag, no SEC has an over/under win total higher than 8.5 in a 10-game season. If it were 9.5, then it would suggest someone is capable of attaining perfection.

2020 SEC football over/under win totals (10-game, conference-only season)

• Georgia Bulldogs: 8.5
• Alabama Crimson Tide: 8
• Florida Gators: 7.5
• LSU Tigers: 7
• Texas A&M Aggies: 7
• Auburn Tigers: 6.5
• Kentucky Wildcats: 5
• Tennessee Volunteers: 5
• Mississippi State Bulldogs: 4
• Ole Miss Rebels: 4
• South Carolina Gamecocks: 3.5
• Missouri Tigers: 2.5
• Arkansas Razorbacks: 1.5
• Vanderbilt Commodores: 1

What is interesting here is there has already been some major action from once these odds were initially released. The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs opened at seven wins apiece, but have moved up to eight in Alabama’s case and Georgia all the way up to 8.5. It’s also interesting that only six teams are projected to have a winning record, this six playoff hopefuls.

As for if any team can run the 2020 10-game SEC gauntlet this year, let’s look at the two favorites to meet for the conference title bout: Alabama out of the SEC West and Georgia out of the SEC East. Though other teams could theoretically do it, these two teams present us the greatest chance of going 10-0 this upcoming regular season and getting to Atlanta unblemished.

If Georgia is going to hit the over and get to 9-1, the Dawgs will need to win one of their two toughest games: At Alabama on Oct. 17 and vs. the Florida Gators down in Jacksonville on Nov. 7. Other games Georgia could slip up at are home vs. the Auburn Tigers on Oct. 3, home vs. the Tennessee Volunteers on Oct. 10 and at Kentucky on Oct. 24. Georgia should go either 9-1 or 8-2.

If Alabama is to hit the over and get to 9-1, the Crimson Tide must win one of their two toughest games: Home vs. Georgia on Oct. 17 and at the LSU Tigers on Nov. 14. Other games Alabama could slip up at are home vs. the Texas A&M Aggies on Oct. 3, at Tennessee on Oct. 24 and home vs. Auburn on Nov. 28. 9-1 feels pretty good for Alabama, as a push at 8-2 feels disappointing.

Admittedly, it’s hard to see Georgia winning in Tuscaloosa or Alabama winning in Baton Rouge. If Georgia hosted Alabama, the Dawgs would be favored. The same thing applies to Alabama hosting LSU. What this comes down to is which team plays in the tougher division, and that would be Alabama. For that reason, Georgia would have the easier time of running the gauntlet unscathed.

Alabama or Georgia can run the SEC gauntlet unscathed at 10-0, but don’t count on it happening.

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