It has been one week, but the Georgia Bulldogs are back on top in the overall SEC hierarchy. Although they did get leapfrogged by the LSU Tigers in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, down went Alabama and Texas after their Week 1 showings. It is a consequence of playing a Power Four team in the non-conference to start out the season. Georgia took care of business vs. Group of Five team Marshall.
For as much undeserved praise as the Longhorns got to start the year, it is only a matter of time before some other SEC flavor of the week emerges over the likes of a serious College Football Playoff contender in Georgia. It may be LSU, especially if the Tigers beat Florida in primetime in Week 3. However, the Dawgs are back on top when it comes to getting to play in their backyard in Atlanta.
Entering Week 2, Georgia now has the best odds of winning the SEC Championship Game at +250.
Where does the rest of the SEC stack up with Georgia in title bout odds?
Here are the latest betting odds from BetMGM for who is in line to win the SEC Championship Game.
- Georgia Bulldogs: +250
- Texas Longhorns: +300
- LSU Tigers: +500
- Alabama Crimson Tide: +650
- Texas A&M Aggies: +1500
- Ole Miss Rebels: +1700
- South Carolina Gamecocks: +2000
- Florida Gators: +2000
- Oklahoma Sooners: +2000
- Auburn Tigers: +2200
- Tennessee Volunteers: +2500
- Missouri Tigers: +4500
- Arkansas Razorbacks: +15000
- Vanderbilt Commodores: +30000
- Kentucky Wildcats: +30000
- Mississippi State Bulldogs: +50000
Texas is only off Georgia's pace by 50 at +300. That feels largely inconsequential. What is important is the only other teams the oddsmakers are really giving any chance to winning the SEC in Atlanta in early December are LSU at +500 and Alabama at +650. Other contenders like Texas A&M, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Florida, Oklahoma, Auburn and Tennessee are between +1500 and +2500 right now.
Although the odds are in Georgia and Texas' favor to get to Atlanta with the Bulldogs slated to beat the Longhorns, it is a reasonable expectation for the Dawgs to defeat the Horns four times in a row? To be frank, how likely is Texas to win one of its huge games on the road vs. Florida and Georgia to even get to Atlanta? The Longhorns still have to play Oklahoma in Dallas and get Texas A&M at home.
While the road loss to Ohio State puts even more pressure on Texas, nothing changes for Georgia...
Kirby Smart can use the nobody believes in Georgia card all season long
Because Georgia has largely reigned supreme over the SEC for the better part of four years now, it is understandable while some college football analysts and fans may want a slice of something else. For whatever reason, Georgia just does not whet their appetite like it once did, and that is okay. However, Dawg Nation must expect for some other team to get some of the shine that Georgia deserves more.
Overall, it is probably going to be a week-by-week case as to who emerges as Georgia's most formiddable challenger in the SEC. For the time being, it looks to be LSU, but the oddsmakers are not ready to bury Texas yet. There are eight conference games everybody in the league still has to play. Give it time, but Georgia will likely be one of the teams that is playing for a first-round bye in Atlanta.
Ultimately, Kirby Smart can look at these latest betting odds and say to himself, "Whatever...". Everybody loves to crown anything and everything prematurely in this wonderful world we live in. Truth be told, it keeps things interesting. However, Smart can still use the "nobody believes in us" card for the rest of the season. Georgia may be on top right now, but it will have its critics and its doubters.
The best way forward for Georgia is to start the year off 4-0 with wins over Tennesssee and Alabama.