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Odds to win the SEC: Which team is biggest threat to Alabama?

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The SEC has five teams with win totals of nine or better for the 2020 season, further illustrating that it's the best and most competitive conference in college football. But, make no mistake, Alabama is still the team to beat.

Alabama was expected to run away with the conference last year before LSU knocked it off its throne. Now, the Crimson Tide are poised to retake their place atop the standings.

There are plenty of good looks in the 2020 SEC field, though it's a challenge to determine which school is the biggest threat outside of Alabama.

Here's how I'd bet the conference prices for the upcoming campaign.

Team Odds
Alabama -120
LSU +275
Georgia +300
Florida +600
Auburn +1400
Texas A&M +1600
Tennessee +6600
Kentucky +10000
Mississippi State +10000
Missouri +10000
Ole Miss +10000
South Carolina +10000
Arkansas +25000
Vanderbilt +25000

Buy - Alabama (-120)

Alabama is the second odds-on favorite in the conference markets that I'd buy, along with Oregon out of the Pac-12. You can find value across the futures board, but if the Tide are going to settle in around 11-2 or 5-1 to win the title, you'll have to bite sooner rather than later.

You typically have to handicap Alabama differently than any other team in the nation. It's losing more than half of its starters on both offense and defense and the schedule isn't a cakewalk (Alabama has the fourth-toughest one in the conference), but this has been the best recruiting program over the last four years, including three top-two finishes nationally.

LSU was the best team in the country last season with a roster that rivaled Alabama's in talent. In 2020, there simply isn't a team that has an edge on Nick Saban and Co.

Sell - LSU (+275)

Some of the prices and numbers you can get on LSU in the futures market are ridiculous. The Tigers are still being treated as a legitimate national title contender with a win total of 9.5 and the over juiced to -175, giving them the second-best odds to take the SEC and fifth-best to repeat.

LSU lost its wunderkind passing game coordinator, Heisman-winning quarterback, and a plethora of offensive starters. Only two other offenses in the nation return less than the Tigers will.

Despite owning the fourth-easiest path among SEC teams, LSU doesn't have a cupcake schedule by any means - games against Texas A&M, Auburn, and Florida are on the road, while Alabama, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State visit Death Valley.

LSU might have a difficult time shattering its win total, let alone taking the conference for the second straight year.

Buy - Florida (+600)

I'm hesitant to bet Florida to win the whole thing at 12-1, but I don't mind holding a 6-1 ticket for it to win the conference, especially when considering Georgia is at 3-1 and Texas A&M is 16-1.

The Gators have six offensive and seven defensive starters returning from last year's 11-win team, headlined by quarterback Kyle Trask. He averaged close to 300 yards per game in 2019 and has the eighth-best odds to win the Heisman among Power 5 quarterbacks.

Florida also has the easiest schedule in the SEC. The Gators duck Alabama, Auburn, and Texas A&M, while games against Kentucky and LSU are at home.

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.

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