5 Fearless SEC Predictions: Your Guide to the Best College Football Bets This Weekend

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Could the Kentucky Wildcats shine again after posting their best record in four decades a year ago? Will national championship-winning head coach Jimbo Fisher help the Texas A&M Aggies reach brand new heights after their fine, first season under the former Florida State leader last season?

Last but certainly not least, while the perennially-powerful Alabama Crimson Tide are favored to win their second straight SEC championship and fifth n the last six years, Nick Saban’s front-running team might be in for an eye-opening surprise – or two – when the 2019 regular season gets underway in just a couple of weeks.

If you’re looking for some bold SEC predictions with the 2019 campaign quickly approaching, then you’ve come to the right place college football betting faithful!

Five Fearless College Football Betting Predictions for SEC in 2019

Kentucky Repeats…Sort Of!

I know Kentucky recorded their best season in four decades in going 10-3 last season and while I’m not predicting another double-digit winning campaign in 2019, I also don’t think the Wildcats will be as bad as everyone seems to believe they will be. Yes, Kentucky lost National Defensive Player of the Year defensive end Josh Allen and all-time leading rusher Benny Snell, plus 12 other starters from last season’s Citrus Bowl championship squad, but the Wildcats aren’t exactly bereft of talent and I believe that head coach Mark Stoops has done a great job of changing the culture at what has always been known as a ‘basketball school.’

Depending on the kind of improvements we see out of now, sophomore signal-caller Terry Wilson, I’m going with the Wildcats to win at least seen games this coming season and potentially eight or nine wins. As a true freshman a year ago, Wilson completed an impressive 67.2 percent of his passes even though he was limited to just 11 TD passes while throwing eight interceptions. In 2019, I’m expecting to see some natural progression out of Wilson and I believe the Cats will surprise for the second straight season to finish with eight wins!

Texas Two-Step Stunner

While the Texas A&M Aggies had a highly successful first season under widely-respected head coach Jimbo Fisher, no one is really predicting the Aggies to surpass their nine wins from a year ago because of their ‘super difficult’ schedule which features road matchups at Clemson, Georgia and LSU and home dates against Auburn and Alabama.  However, I’m going to predict that the Aggies and their talented, if underrated, quarterback Kellen Mond, manages to somehow beat mighty Alabama when the pair square off in Week 7 in the Lone Star State.

I know the perennially powerful crimson Tide dominated this matchup by subduing the Aggies in their dominating 45-23 home win last season, but Fisher has already proven he knows how to lead a team to national championship heights as he did by leading Florida State to the 2013 national title. There’s really no good reasons to pick Texas A&M to get the big upset in this SEC showdown, but I’m feeling like it could happen for the Aggies in a high-scoring shootout.

Gus Malzahn Gets the Boot

While there’s not a lot of talk about Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn being on the hot seat entering the 2019 campaign, I’m going on record right now to predict that Tigers’ head coach is getting the ax following what I expect to be another mediocre season in 2019. In six season at the helm of Auburn’s gridiron program, Malzahn has gone a modest 62-30.

Unfortunately, he’s guided the Tigers to no more than eight victories in four of the last five years, including 2018 when the Tigers finished 8-5 for the third time in the last five seasons. I know Auburn has some elite talent on the defensive line heading into 2019, but they’ll also have a first-time starter under center and that just doesn’t bode well for the Tigers – or Gus Malzahn!

Will The ‘Thrill Is Gone’ Gets The Ax

Like Gus Malzahn at Auburn, there really isn’t a lot of talk about South Carolina parting ways with head coach Will Muschamp as he heads into his fourth season leading the Gamecocks, but I’m going to predict that one more uninspiring season is going to get the former Florida head coach the ax, just like he did following his four seasons leading the Gators from 2011 to 2014. Muschamp has gone 22-17 in three seasons, including last year’s uninspiring 7-6 mark.

South Carolina is just 12-12 in SEC games under Muschamp and the Gamecocks have lost 10 straight games against nationally-ranked opponents, which, on the surface, just looks awful. Let’s say it all together now…buh-bye Will ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ Muschamp!

Georgia Beats Alabama – Finally!

While Georgia has lost four straight against Alabama and Nick Saban has never tasted defeat against one of his former assistant coaches, I’m thinking it could happen, not once, but twice in 2019. The Crimson Tide have won two matchups against the Bulldogs since Kirby Smart took over in Athens, but Georgia has nearly upset their SEC rivals in both meetings. After suffering a crushing 26-23 overtime defeat in the 2018 National Championship Game and a hard-fought 35-28 loss in last season’s SEC title tilt, I’m thinking the Dawgs have what it takes to finally knock off the defending national championship runner-ups if – and more likely, when – they meet this coming season.

Georgia brings back 13 starters from last year’s 10-3 squad, not to mention they’ve got an elite quarterback in Jake Fromm, the nation’s No. 1 offensive line, and a ton of elite incoming talent that has helped the program get six consecutive Top 10 recruiting classes, including three straight Top 3 recruiting classes. It could happen and I’m predicting it will. Georgia finally knocks off Alabama – and it will be for something really meaningful too!

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The 2018-2019 Season is just about here. The Southeastern Conference again boasts two of the NCAA Football Betting favorites to win the Championship, Georgia, and Alabama. Check out 5 fearless college football predictions for the SEC.

5 Fearless NCAA Football Betting Predictions for SEC in 2018

SEC Prediction #1:  Georgia will lose 3 games SU

That’s 3 regular season games for the College Football National Championship runner-up. Who will the Bulldogs lose to? At South Carolina on Sep. 8, at LSU on Oct. 13, and versus Auburn on Nov. 10.

Georgia’s offense is great. They lost 8 starters on defense. Not good in an improved SEC East Division.

SEC Prediction #2:  Alabama will be a losing ATS Team

This isn’t actually a fearless prediction because the Crimson Tide went 6-8 ATS last season. It is a somewhat fearless prediction because Alabama, again, will be overbet in every game that they play. The fact is that coach Nick Saban doesn’t care about spreads. He cares about winning, getting his starters to rest when Bama has big leads and getting his scrubs playing time. That will lead to plenty of non-cover performances.

SEC Prediction #3:  Florida will challenge Georgia for the SEC East Division

This is the best team that brilliant head coach Dan Mullen has ever coached. While the main man at Mississippi State, Mullen never had a team as talented as the one he’s got at Florida. He did have Dak Prescott for 4 years, but other than Dak, Mullen fielded competitive squads with less than stellar talent.

With Florida talent, Mullen could turn the Gators into the SEC East monster it used to be.

SEC Prediction #4: In Jimbo Fisher’s First Year at Texas A&M, the Aggies Will Lose 5 Games

Jimbo Fisher took the money and ran to College Station, Texas. Now, he’s expected to deliver. He won’t this season. The Aggies should lose at least 4 games during the regular season.

The prediction is that the Aggies lose 5 games. Fisher just doesn’t have the talent to beat: Clemson, at Alabama, at South Carolina, at Auburn, and versus LSU.

SEC Prediction #5:  Alabama Beats Florida in the SEC Championship

Alabama is never a lock to win the SEC West Division. The Crimson Tide is the best team in college football, but they lost the Iron Bowl to Auburn last season and didn’t even get into the SEC Championship. They still managed to stamp their ticket to the College Football Playoff.

This season, Alabama should go undefeated during the regular season. The Iron Bowl versus Auburn takes place in Tuscaloosa.

Florida is where the real surprise comes in. Most feel the Gators are the third best team in the SEC East after Georgia and South Carolina. The guess here is that Mullen’s leadership leads to Florida leapfrogging those two SEC East rivals for a spot versus Bama in the SEC title game.

Last 10 SEC Champions

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While the SEC has been widely recognized as the best and most competitive conference in all of college football for the better part of the last decade or so, which may no longer be the case with the rise of the ACC, Big Ten and PAC-12 the last couple of seasons.

Still, the SEC figures to be a knock-down, drag-out brawl for it all once the 2017 regular season gets underway in earnest in just a couple of weeks. If you’re looking to find out what could transpire in the perennially powerful SEC this coming season as well as the latest NCAAF betting lines for the season, then you’re going to love the five bold predictions on the conference that I’m about to offer up right now.

A Closer Look at the 5 Fearless College Football Betting SEC Predictions

Alabama Wins the SEC

I know it’s not a real ‘bold’ prediction to say that Alabama is going to win the SEC in 2017, but that’s my easy pick. Even though the Tide lost last year’s national championship, it took some serious heroics from Clemson superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson for that to happen – and with Watson off to the NFL at least the Tide know they won’t fall to his act again this season.

Having said that, it’s kind of hard not seeing Alabama win the SEC title again in 2017. The Tide have a gifted dual-threat quarterback and will once again field one of the nation’s best defenses. It’s going to take a minor miracle for one of their conference rivals to beat them out.

Auburn Wins 10

The Tigers are my top pick to challenge Alabama for supremacy with Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham taking over at QB. Auburn has a pair of elite running backs in 2016 SEC rushing leader Kamryn Pettway and explosive backup Kerryon Johnson and a group of talented receivers for Stidham to throw to.

Defensively, the Tigers should have one of the nation’s best linebacker units and a future NFL performer in All-SEC cornerback Carlton Davis. 10 wins looks very doable for Auburn in 2017.

LSU’s Derrius Grice Leads Nation in Rushing

After rushing for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore last season, I see absolutely no reason why LSU star Derrius Grice shouldn’t lead the nation in rushing in 2017.

Grice will get more than his share of carries as LSU features him in their offensive attack while helping unproven (shaky) quarterback Danny Etling not throw games away with too many turnovers. Grice averages 8.5 yards per game in limited duty as a freshman two years ago before putting up 7.6 yards per carry last season. Maybe it’s me, but I’m thinking Grice has stardom in his near future.

Texas A&M Goes 8-5 – Again!

The Aggies lost defensive end Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. But I’m thinking Texas A&M is looking at their fourth straight 8-5 campaign in 2017. The Aggies have some talent on the offensive side of the ball starting with junior WR Christian Kirk and RB Trayveon Williams. But Sumlin has yet to decide who his starting quarterback will be between senior Jake Hubenak, redshirt freshman Nick Starkel and five-star true freshman Kellen Mond.

Still the Aggies ranked a solid 24th in total offense in 2016 while finishing 34th in scoring (34.8 ppg).  I believe they’ll score their fair share of points this coming season no matter who’s under center. Besides, with a defense that kept the opposition out of the end zone fairly consistently in ranking a respectable 40th in points allowed (24.5 ppg) I’m thinking 8-5 sounds about right for the Aggies this coming season.

Arkansas Surprises

While the Razorbacks struggled in going 7-6 last season, I really like head coach Brett Bielema. I think that his team will be a lot better in 2017 than they were last season because of the continued maturation of quarterback Austin Allen.

Arkansas has a talented running back in Devwah Whaley, four returning offensive linemen and a nice go-to target for Allen in wide receiver Jared Cornelius. Eight or nine wins may seem like a lot right now, Bu I believe the Razorbacks could get there in 2017.

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Will the Alabama Crimson Tide lose two regular season games in 2016 or will they reach the four-team playoff to live up their preseason billing as the No. 1 team in the nation?

Will the Ole Miss Rebels fly high under gifted quarterback Chad Kelly this coming season or will Tennessee live up to its preseason billing as a legitimate playoff contender?

You’re going to find out the answers to these questions and much more as I offer up my five bold college football picks for the SEC as the 2016 regular season quickly approaches. Now, let’s get started.

5 Bold College Football Winning Predictions For SEC

Alabama Loses Two?

Alabama has won four out of the last seven national titles under head coach Nick Saban, but I think the Alabama Crimson Tide are looking at a two-loss campaign in 2016, including one loss in Week 3 against an Ole Miss team they’ve fallen to in each of the last two seasons. Alabama’s regular season opener at home against No. 20 USC will be no walk in the park and road dates against Tennessee and LSU could potentially produce stunning outcomes.

The Crimson Tide need to find a new starting quarterback and running back and needs to rebuild their offensive line while replacing a slew of elite defenders that all took their respective acts on to the NFL. Alabama loses two regular season games, so when it happens, don’t be shocked!

Ole Miss to Fly High in 2016!

Ole Miss went 10-3 and was the only team in the country to beat Alabama last season. While the Rebels need to replace NFL first round draft picks, in defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche, tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss does have an elite quarterback they can turn to in Chad Kelly and a pair of running backs in Akeem Judd and Jordan Wilkins that both averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry in backup roles last season. Kelly threw for a stellar 4,042 yards and 31 touchdowns last season and could very well surpass those figures in 2016!

Will Georgia Contend?

I like former Alabama assistant Kirby Smart and I believe his hiring will help a Georgia team that won 10 games last season, contend for the SEC crown in 2016, even though I don’t see them winning. On offense, Smart has eight returning starters from last season’s squad, including quarterback in Greyson Lambert, although he’s currently in a quarterback battle with gifted freshman Jacob Eason.

Whoever starts under center will find life a lot easier if gifted running back Nick Chubb returns to form after recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered against Tennessee early last season. Chubb rushed for over 1,800 yards as a freshman two years ago and his return to health could make the Dogs a dangerous bunch on offense.

Georgia ranked a stupendous seventh in total defense a year ago and led the nation in pass defense by limiting the opposition to just 156.4 passing yards per contest. The Dogs will contend in 2016!

LSU to record double-digit wins?

LSU came up just short of winning 10 games last season, but they have a ton of elite talent and one of the best running backs in all of college football. The Tigers ranked 39th in total offense in 2015 (437.9 ypg) and 44th in scoring (32.8 ppg) thanks mostly to their seventh-ranked rushing attack (258.0 ypg). LSU will once again lean heavily on Heisman Trophy candidate Leonard Fournette after the bruising big back rushed for a stunning 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2015.

Ultimately though, it will be the play of talented but inconsistent quarterback Brandon Harris that could determine just how far the Tigers go in 2016. Harris underachieved in 2015 by completing just 53.8 percent of his passes while tossing just 13 TD passes and six interceptions and that just won’t cut it in 2016. Right now, I’m thinking another nine-win campaign sounds about right.

Tennessee to live up To Preseason Billing?

The Vols have an athletically gifted dual-threat signal-caller in Joshua Dobbs that can make plays both, on the ground and through the air, not to mention a pair of talented running backs that could likely start for any team in the country in Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara.

Tennessee also had a solid defense in 2015 as they ranked a stellar 16th in the nation in points allowed (20.0 ppg) and they could be even better on defense thanks to the hiring of new defensive coordinator, Bob Shoop, this offseason. Head coach Butch Jones has slowly built this team up and now the Vols are really on the national mp. With a very soft schedule in 2016, I think the Vols will fulfill all of their preseason expectations, but they’re not reaching the College Football Playoff.

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The 2016 college football season will be starting in T-minus one week, meaning it’s time for us to wrap up our preseason NCAAF betting predictions. Let’s swing out with a bang by taking a look at the top NCAA football expert picks and contenders for the 2016-17 SEC Championship game.

In Depth Analysis On The 2016 SEC Title Game Winning Predictions

SEC WEST

Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide have been the class of the SEC for years, so it should come as no surprise that we have them at the top of the pile to reach the SEC title game. Bama lost a number of starters in the offseason, but the team is reloaded with the No. 1 recruiting class and some solid returning starters, including Alabama’s best wide receiver in 2015 Calvin Ridley who made 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns, so the Tide should remain competitive. Dealing with SEC opponents like Ole Miss, LSU and Tennessee won’t be easy for the young Crimson Tide, but Nick Saban is a master at dealing with adversity and Bama’s defense should still be among the best in the SEC. With that, another double-digit win season should be very possible for the team, along with a spot in the SEC championship game.

LSU Tigers
Star running back Leonard Fournette, he of the 6.5 yards per carry average and 1,953 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in 2015, will be the player to watch in LSU as the Tigers look to upend Bama from the top of the SEC. Fournette is a once-in-a-generation talent at running back and the 16 additional starters that will be returning from last season’s squad should motivate Tiger players for a big season. Besides having Fournette at RB and an experienced Brandon Harris at QB to lead the offense serviceably, the Tigers have a great hire in new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, a very solid front-seven and an experienced secondary that should surely allow LSU to make a strong run for the SEC title.

Ole Miss Rebels
QB Chad Kelly is arguably the best quarterback in the SEC, and after completing 65.1 percent of his passes for 4,042 yards and 31 touchdowns while rushing for 500 yards and 10 scores in 2015, it isn’t far-fetched to expect him to have another solid season. The Rebels were the lone team to beat Bama in 2015, and that should come as big motivation for them to repeat the same in 2016 and even soar to higher heights in the SEC. As a concern, though, Mississippi is returning just a handful of starters, and that could easily complicate their contention for the conference title.

SEC EAST

Tennessee Volunteers
The Vols are the most hyped team in the SEC and that is largely based on the fact that the team is returning the most starters in the conference (at 18). Noteworthy of these returning starters is arguably the second-best QB in the SEC in senior dual-threat signal-caller Joshua Dobbs and his explosive running back tandem of Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara. The 6’3’’, 210-pound Dobbs threw for 2,291 yards and 15 touchdowns last season while rushing for another 671 yards and 11 scores; numbers that point to a high ceiling should he play up to his potential. Tennessee’s defense wasn’t scary as Bama’s, but it was darn good in 2015, so the return of the experienced starters should guarantee more solid production in the D. It won’t, however, be that smooth-sailing for the Vols, as they have a fiery schedule that includes the likes of Virginia Tech, Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama. If they can get out of this furnace with one loss (or two losses at the worst); then winning the SEC East and playing should be a strong possibility. If not, then it will be adios for them in the SEC title game.

Georgia Bulldogs
Like Tennessee, Georgia is stacked up with playmakers on both sides of the ball, featuring Georgia a lethal running back tandem that is spearheaded by elite rusher Nick Chubb.  As a freshman in 2014, Chubb ran for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he was on pace to obliterate those numbers in 2015 before suffering a season-ending injury. With health on his side, Chubb is expected to get back to lead Georgia’s backfield in a big way. The fact that the running game will be supported by either Jacob Eason battles or Sony Michel at QB should keep the Georgia offense on song. In addition to that, Georgia’s defense has some talented pieces and the Bulldogs have a cheap schedule with games against Ole Miss and Tennessee (at home in Athens) being their toughest games.

Florida Gators
With Georgia and Tennessee expected to be back at their best, the Gators will be hard-done to repeat as divisional champs after breezing through a weak divisional competition in 2015. Not to mention, Florida lost some key talents in the offseason and the team’s offense will be breaking into a new quarterback. That said, Florida has won 11 straight games against Tennessee and the Gators proved they can hang tough in games if their defense comes up big. So, with a bit of some luck (injuries, suspensions and all), the Gators could end up running the East once again, unlikely as it seems right now.

SEC Title Game Predictions and Picks

Getting Alabama at the Death Valley in November will be a big advantage for LSU, and I believe that will prove to be the needed difference for the Tigers the SEC West title, with Mississippi’s inexperience being its undoing. Meanwhile, the Vols will be force to reckon with, but with their really loaded schedule, I like Georgia to take advantage of its fairly manageable schedule to win the SEC East. For the Gators, they will probably get flat-footed because of their mediocre offense.

SEC Championship Game Picks: LSU vs. Georgia

SEC Championship Game Winner: LSU