Week 1 went as well as it could go for SEC. Week 2 was a different story.
The conference not only suffered through a 5-9 record against the spread, but it lost a national profile game against Oklahoma, dark horse conference favorite Arkansas lost at home, and several teams squeaked by far lesser opponents.
With a new week, there’s far fewer opportunities to shine outside of the conference. Instead, this week is all about the games inside the SEC, and we’ll see which teams begin to separate from the pack.
SEC Season: 14-13 ATS
Last week: 5-9 ATS
South Carolina at Georgia (-17)
We know that South Carolina lost to Kentucky, but let’s give the Wildcats some credit. Kentucky has a good offense and the Gamecocks shut down Kentucky in the second half after falling behind at halftime.
The Bulldogs haven’t played anyone, while South Carolina has two games under its belt against power-five conference teams that should be better than in previous years.
Also, in the past, this game has been one of the better games to begin the season. Since 2004, this game has been decided by seven points or less seven times.
The Gamecocks still have the ability to hang with the Bulldogs in this game, and we’re getting more than two touchdowns. Take the points. — Go against the chalk with South Carolina
Mississippi at Alabama (-7)
The betting public has taken notice of the Rebels in the last two weeks.
Oddsmakers set this spread at 8.5 as the opening line, and since then, the public has responded. It may go down further, so we’d recommend locking in your bet now to maximize the amount of points given.
Talent isn’t a problem for the Rebels. Head coach Hugh Freeze has recruited at a high level and the junior class is especially talented. Facing Alabama creates its own challenges, but the Rebels beat the Tide last year, and despite the opening game win, we still believe there are holes still not fixed on Alabama’s team.
Mississippi hasn’t played anyone yet, but it has looked as good as any team in the country while racking up the points. The offense won’t even be close to that good this week, but the confidence gained in the last two weeks will pay dividends early. From there, this will be another back-and-forth defensive struggle, with Mississippi covering. — Go against the chalk with Mississippi
Other SEC games with a spread
Odds provided by Oddsshark
Connecticut at Missouri (-21.5)
Nevada at Texas A&M (-34)
Auburn at LSU (-7)
Texas Tech at Arkansas (-12)
Florida (-3.5) at Kentucky
