Alabama odds-on favorite to win SEC in 2020

The Alabama Crimson Tide is once again favored to win the SEC championship in 2020 and will look to claim the school’s 28th title, a record in the conference.

Last season, the Crimson Tide saw LSU and its new spread offense take college football by storm. The Tigers not only achieved an undefeated record in the SEC, but they hoisted the National Championship Trophy, while Alabama accepted the unfamiliar role of College Football Playoff spectator.

The Tigers shouldn’t cause Alabama as much trouble in 2020, though. In the offseason, LSU lost several key pieces, including No. 1 draft pick Joe Burrow, defensive coordinator Dave Aranda (now head coach at Baylor) and passing game coordinator Joe Brady (now offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers). Fourteen LSU players jumped to the NFL, and five were selected in the first round.

The Crimson Tide also said goodbye to standout quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered a dislocated hip late in the season, which derailed Alabama’s chance to make the College Football Playoff. Tagovailoa is now a Miami Dolphin, but his replacement in Tuscaloosa is nothing to scoff at.

Heisman contender Mac Jones (+1800) is expected to start Week 1 over five-star freshman Bryce Young. Jones will have last year’s leading receiver DeVonta Smith (1,256 yards, 14 touchdowns), who could have entered the 2020 NFL Draft, like teammates Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, but chose to come back for one more year.

Heisman longshot Najee Harris (1,224 rushing yards, 20 total TDs) will lead the charge in the backfield.

As for the defense, star linebacker Dylan Moses is back from injury, as are defensive linemen LaBryan Ray and DJ Dale.

The Crimson Tide also has the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation.

Georgia will lean on grad transfer to bolster offense

The team that beat out Alabama for the top recruiting class in 2020 is rival Georgia, the school with the next-best odds to win the conference.

In 2019, the Bulldogs boasted the No. 2 scoring defense in the country (12.5 points per game), but the offense struggled. Fifth-year head coach Kirby Smart hired new offensive coordinator Todd Monken — former Cleveland Browns OC — and added Wake Forest graduate transfer Jamie Newman at quarterback.

If the offense progresses and the defense continues its dominance, Georgia could make a run for the SEC title. The Bulldogs will be tested early, with a road trip to Alabama and a date with Florida in Jacksonville in late October.  

Florida inching closer to a CFP appearance

While the Bulldogs own slightly better odds to win the SEC, East division nemesis Florida is the team to keep an eye on.

In Dan Mullen’s second year as head coach, he posted an 11-2 record, one season after the Gators went 10-3. Florida's only losses last year came to LSU, 42-28, and Georgia, 24-17.

Incoming junior Kyle Trask stepped in at quarterback midseason, after Feleipe Franks suffered a severe ankle injury in Week 3. Trask hadn’t made a start since high school, but now he is the top returning passer in the SEC, with Tagovailoa, Burrow, and Georgia’s Jake Fromm gone to the NFL.

Three starting offensive linemen return for Florida, and Mississippi State transfer Stewart Reese has joined the unit.

The Gators’ scoring defense ranked eighth in 2019 and should remain a sturdy force under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s direction. Florida’s ninth-ranked recruiting class will also bring in five-star defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and four-star linebacker Derek Wingo.

The matchup against Georgia might make or break Florida’s chances for the College Football Playoff, but the Gators are equipped to get the job done. They'll most likely meet Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, where they hold a 4-5 record against the Crimson Tide.

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