The SEC is always one of the roughest conferences to try to handicap, as the National Champions usually end up coming from this conference. This year, could we be saying the same thing? The favorites to take down the conference crown are the Alabama Crimson Tide (Current SEC Odds: 2.05 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). The Tide are losing a ton from last year’s offense, but when you look past the fact that QB Greg McIlroy, WR Julio Jones, and RB Mark Ingram are gone, you see that there is still a heck of a lot of talent coming back for Head Coach Nick Saban. It’s not like Saban hasn’t been able to figure out how to recruit in the past and then get the most out of what he brought into town. QB AJ McCarron should be fine, and so should the Alabama ‘D’. The biggest problem game on the slate is at home, a date with LSU.

Speaking of the LSU Tigers (2011 SEC Lines: 4.75 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook), they’re the next in a hoard of teams in the conference that are lined in the +475ish range to win this conference crown. We know that it is likely going to take a win against Alabama on the road to win the SEC, something that definitely won’t come easily. We’ll find out quite a bit right away this year when the Bayou Bengals take on the Oregon Ducks at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and it’ll be clear if QB Jordan Jefferson and company can’t keep up with the Quack Attack, they won’t be able to win this conference either.

The team that really could be there for the watching this season is the Georgia Bulldogs (Current SEC Odds: 4.75 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). We don’t really think that Head Coach Mark Richt and company have assembled the best team in the SEC East this season, but we don’t think that there is another team out there that can say that they have as easy of a road as UGA does. This is the year that the team gets the extra conference home game thanks to the fact that the annual Cocktail Party against Florida was originally slated as a road game, and to top it all off, both Alabama and LSU are dodged on the slate. Whereas South Carolina, another one of the favorites in the SEC East doesn’t get a real good look at some heavy duty competition until these two teams meet “Between the Hedges” in Week 2, Georgia gets to start off with a stern test against Boise State. With a lot on the line for Richt and the growth of QB Aaron Murray expected in his sophomore season, we wouldn’t be shocked to see the Dawgs right there when it’s said and done with playing for the SEC title.

2011 Odds To Win The SEC @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/24/11):
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Alabama Crimson Tide 2.05 to 1
Florida Gators 4.60 to 1
Georgia Bulldogs 4.75 to 1
LSU Tigers 4.75 to 1
South Carolina Gamecocks 6.25 to 1
Arkansas Razorbacks 17.50 to 1
Mississippi State Bulldogs 22 to 1
Tennessee Volunteers 22 to 1
Auburn Tigers 37 to 1
Kentucky Wildcats 85 to 1
Mississippi Rebels 85 to 1
Vanderbilt Commodores 185 to 1

2011 Odds To Win The SEC East Division @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/24/11):
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Georgia Bulldogs 1.80 to 1
Florida Gators 1.90 to 1
South Carolina Gamecocks 2 to 1
Tennessee Volunteers 9 to 1
Kentucky Wildcats 33 to 1
Vanderbilt Commodores 75 to 1

2011 Odds To Win The SEC West Division @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/24/11):
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Alabama Crimson Tide 1 to 1.40
LSU Tigers 2.75 to 1
Arkansas Razorbacks 9.15 to 1
Mississippi State Bulldogs 13 to 1
Auburn Tigers 18 to 1
Mississippi Rebels 33 to 1