Opening 2021 SEC Championship Odds – Alabama, Georgia Top Contenders Once Again

• Opening odds to win the SEC Championship in 2021 have been released 
• Alabama returns as favorites to win yet again at +100 odds; Georgia is right behind at +250, and LSU is fourth at +1000 following a 5-5 season last year
• Read below for a complete breakdown of the early market and odds for every SEC program

Half of the programs in the SEC have played their spring football games, and the rest are set to play this weekend.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and wide receiver Agiye Hall looked particularly impressive in the team’s A-Day scrimmage, and the Crimson Tide are frontrunners yet again to win the league. The last time Alabama wasn’t the unanimous pick to win was in 2012, but at +250, Georgia is a close second to start the season.

Behind the Bulldogs, the SEC Conference Championship Odds thin out quickly, but Texas A&M and LSU are expected reload and offer value outside of the top two options.

2021 SEC Conference Championship Odds

Odds as of April 20th

Bama’s Supremecy Continues

On the heels of Nick Saban’s sixth national championship with Alabama, the Tide appear to be no-brainers as presumptive favorites to win another SEC title.

https://twitter.com/AlabamaDieHards/status/1383475089836937227?s=20

The question of how Alabama’s offense would look without veterans like Mac Jones, Najee Harris or Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, was answered pretty quickly on Saturday. Young finished the game with 333 passing yards on 25 completions, including a 22-yard strike to tight end Cameron Latu that resulted in a 59-yard touchdown.

Saban had to replace much of his coaching staff after last season, but two former NFL head coaches in Bill O’Brien and Doug Marrone are among his new assistants. Some of the plays Young made were reminiscent of Deshaun Watson in O’Brien’s offense with the Houston Texans.

Hall provided one of the most eye-popping plays of the game, when he reeled in a 37-yard pass down the sideline in tight coverage as he fell backward.

Could This Be UGA’s Year?

The JT Daniels hype continues after his G-Day performance ended with 324 passing yards and three touchdowns. Daniels took a minute to get rolling, but as the game went on, he found more and more opportunities to drop in passes for big yards.

JT Daniels slinging it ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/kyTeTD3G5J

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) April 17, 2021

Outside of a somewhat pedestrian showing in a win against South Carolina, Daniels put up some big numbers in the four games he played to close out last season. He should be set up for a big 2021 campaign with a stable of talented pass-catchers. Freshman wide receiver Adonai Mitchell finished G-Day with seven catches for 105 yards and sophomore tight end Darnell Washington impressed with four catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.

The biggest question mark for the Bulldogs this season may what to expect in the secondary. Freshman defensive back Javon Bullard led all defenders on the Red Team with seven total tackles. Senior DB Ameer Speed and redshirt freshman cornerback Jalen Kimber each had two pass breakups for the Black Team, but both teams combined for nearly 700 total passing yards in the game.

Potential Longshots

Few Texas quarterback prospects in recent memory generated the kind of buzz that Haynes King did by the end of his high school career. As the expected starter for Texas A&M this season, the Aggies finally move on from Kellen Mond’s game management style of play to more of a gunslinger.

The Aggies have been steadily improving on defense and loading up on dynamic offensive talent under Jimbo Fisher. Defensive depth may be a bit of an issue if injuries start to stack up over the course of the season, but A&M should be able to navigate its schedule without too many hiccups. The Tide returns to Kyle Field this season on October 9th, and the SEC West race could open up in a big way if the Aggies find a way to get a win.

LSU has the fourth-best odds to win the conference, and that sounds about right. The Tigers still need to figure out which of Max Johnson or Myles Brennan is the answer at quarterback, but LSU has the highest bounce-back potential in the conference.

Is Kayshon Boutte the next elite LSU WR 👀

7 Receptions, 131 yards and a TD in the FIRST HALF of LSU’s spring game 🔥
pic.twitter.com/uvK9JVFXyp

— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 17, 2021

Florida chose to forego a spring game this season, but after losing quarterback Kyle Trask, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Kadarius Toney, the Gators seem likely to take a step back this season. Redshirt junior quarterback Emory Jones hasn’t been overly impressive in his snaps thus far, but will get the keys to the offense in 2021.

The SEC is arguably the best football conference in the country, but it is also a top-heavy one, due to how strong Bama and UGA are. Taking a flyer on A&M or LSU is about as adventurous as bettors should consider being, but at plus-money, there is still relative value in wagering on the Tide or Bulldogs.