It has only been one season, but we have an interesting conference rivalry brewing between top Dawgs Georgia and newcomer Texas. They met last year in Austin with Georgia coming out on top during the regular season. Georgia then survived vs. Texas again in Atlanta to win the SEC. While the Dawgs were one-and-done in the College Football Playoff, Texas was able to rattle off a few big wins.
In all fairness, we are increasingly likely to see these college football blue-bloods play twice next year. Georgia gets Texas Betwen the Hedges in Athens next year. They also have the two best odds of winning the SEC Championship Game. Texas has the best in the SEC at +210, while Georgia is not that far off their tail at +390. After that, Alabama and Tennessee are both sitting at +700 right now.
Here are the latest odds from FanDuel on who could win the SEC Championship Game next season.
- Texas Longhorns: +210
- Georgia Bulldogs: +390
- Alabama Crimson Tide: +700
- Tennessee Volunteers: +700
- LSU Tigers: +1000
- Ole Miss Rebels: +1000
- Texas A&M Aggies: +1600
- South Carolina Gamecocks: +1800
- Florida Gators: +3300
- Auburn Tigers: +3500
- Missouri Tigers: +5000
- Oklahoma Sooners: +6500
- Arkansas Razorbacks: +12000
- Vanderbilt Commodores: +30000
- Kentucky Wildcats: +30000
- Mississippi State Bulldogs: +50000
Let the record show that I have both Georgia and Texas making the playoff, as well as Tennessee and South Carolina. I am also keeping close tabs on LSU and Alabama at this stage of the offseason. Beyond those six teams, I would probably say the line of demarcation put forth by the latest odds is Auburn at +3500. I do not trust Missouri at +5000. Anyone Auburn or better could make the playoff.
As far as who could be taking a spot occupied by Georgia or Texas, I have a few contenders in mind...
If not Georgia or Texas, who is going to play in the SEC Championship?
At this time, I have Georgia beating Texas in Athens during the regular season, but the Longhorns getting the best of the Dawgs in Atlanta. We are looking at Texas being the No. 1 or 2 seed and Georgia being something like No. 6 or 7 in next year's 12-team College Football Playoff. Texas is one of three locks to make the playoff. Georgia is in a group of five teams who I view as borderline locks.
But this exercise is not about them. It is about the 14 other teams in the SEC and who stands the best chance of getting to Atlanta with a first-round bye on the line. If I had to pick one team to get there over Texas or Georgia, it would have to be Tennessee. The Vols get Georgia at home. The head-to-head tiebreaker may be a deciding factor. We are looking both winning between nine and 11 games.
If I had to pick a second team to make it to Atlanta, probably the one to replace Texas in this instance, I would have to go with everyone's favorite high-variance team in LSU. Last year was the Brian Kelly pop year, but the Bayou Bengals did not pop. The SEC may have resulted in the Tigers being late bloomers. They have big games vs. Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina next season on their slate.
What I am getting at is Tennessee has the easiest path of a contender not named Georgia or Texas to get to Atlanta. If the Vols beat Alabama again and hold serve at home vs. Georgia, that may get you to 11 wins and in the driver's seat to reach Atlanta. While I have my reservations about the Vols winning a national title with Josh Heupel at head coach, I could be proven wrong if Nico Iamaleava levels up.
As far as LSU is concerned, they may just win all their games anyway because it might be Garrett Nussmeier's turn to win the Heisman Trophy. Like Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels before him, he projects as a top-two pick in the NFL Draft. He reminds me off Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert. If he puts it all together, we could all be seeing LSU extending its undefeated streak in the playoff.
So to answer this question, if not Georgia or Texas, it shall be Tennessee, followed up closely by LSU.