Vanderbilt Not Worst Odds To Win SEC Title In 2020

The Vanderbilt Commodores, fresh off a three-win season in 2019, so when you hear that they are not the team with the worst odds to win the SEC title in 2020, it's good news.

I'm not a gambler and don't get into the intricacies and nuances of the betting world, but I am interested in what the professionals in Las Vegas have to say when they issue their odds on which teams will win the SEC in 2020. 

Most would view last season's results and automatically assume Vanderbilt, who won just three games-one conference- previous season would be at the bottom of their list for teams to win the conference crown this time around.   

Those fans would be wrong, at least according to odds put out by William Hill Sportsbook on SEC odds. 

So, which team(s) might finish below the Commodores this season?

Arkansas, at least according to oddsmakers, are being given lower odds of claiming the conference title than the Commodores. Of course, the Hogs have a new head coach as Sam Pitman has assumed the controls in Fayetteville, and he and his staff have a lot of work to do this season. 

Vanderbilt's odds of winning the crown are only slightly higher, with few people, if any taking those odds on the Commodores. The latter will be breaking in a new quarterback and lost their three best offensive weapons to graduation and the NFL after last season. 

Who do the oddsmakers favor to win the championship in 2020?

Alabama, to the surprise of almost no one, is the favorite followed by Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Auburn rounding out the top five, according to Vegas. 

Some might say that see bets considering those teams, with LSU claiming the conference and national championships last season have been at the top of the heap for a while, and it's a no brainer to have them there this season. 

That shouldn't be debated as those teams are loaded with talent and have the experience of being in contention regularly.

I'm no oddsmaker, but I'll take Alabama against the field for the title this season. 

Why? Georgia is as talented athletically as any team in the nation, but are breaking in a new quarterback, even though they have a ton of grad transfers including Jamie Newman at the position. Still, they will encounter some growing pains and missing spring, and depending on what happens in the summer will hamper their offensive development.    

LSU lost more talent than anyone and is also breaking in a new starter under center, meaning the likelihood of the Tigers repeating is not good.

Florida has a ton of talent as well, but I'm not sold on their quarterback Kyle Trask as one who I would bet on long term throughout a season. 

So why Bama when they will have a new starting quarterback after the departure of Tua Tagovailoa?

Mac Jones started five games replacing the injured Tagovailoa and was fantastic, going 4-1 with the lone loss a thriller against Auburn where Jones threw for 335 yards and four scores. His two interceptions hurt the Tide, but he still had them in position to win the game. 

For the season, Jones completed 68.8% of his 141 pass attempts for 1,503 yards with 14 TD's and three picks in those five starts in 2019.  

Jones and Bama will have a ton of offensive weapons returning. If Nick Saban can fix the defensive deficiencies that have plagues his squad the last two seasons, they are the team to beat and might be even with a subpar defense by Alabama standards. 

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