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2025 SEC Football Predictions with Odds and Expert Betting Advice

by Robert Ferringo - 8/28/2025

College Football undefeated teams odds and betting predictions Arch Manning Texas Longhorns

The SEC will never suffer from a crisis of confidence.

As far as the Southeastern Conference and its mouth-breather fans are concerned, college football begins and ends with this 16-team league. And for the better part of this young century people have worshipped the SEC and acted like everyone in this league was playing a different sport than everyone else.

Well, they weren’t.

The reality is that the best thing to happen to the SEC over the last decade was raiding the Big 12. Those defectors are what has boosted the league. In fact, if the 2025 season still had the 2010 conference alignments we might be talking about the SEC as the nation’s third-best league.

Don’t expect reality to get in the way of the SEC’s self-importance and delusion this fall, though. In fact, the SEC stanning will likely only get worse this season because of the stakes of the college football playoff bids.

A recent column by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde broke down the national nightmare we are about to endure: constant bickering in the media about which league is better, the SEC or Big Ten.

This type of inane chatter is what repulses me from a sport like college football. Who cares? It’s an unanswerable question. But the playoff bracket is filled out with at-large teams chosen by a selection committee. That means we’re in for a four-month PR campaign from teams and leagues across the sports, jockeying and politicking for position from a purely financial standpoint.

And, as Forde astutely pointed out, the SEC vs. Big Ten battle in the national media is also serving as a proxy war between ESPN and Fox Sports, both of whom own broadcast rights for their respective leagues. Fox, and other Big Ten-affiliated partners, are pimping “their” league in an attempt to boost their own return on investment. ESPN has been and will continue to do the same.

(Brief aside: please keep all this corporate nonsense in mind the next time some mindless schmuck goes on and on complaining about players getting paid.)

College football has always been messy business. And as much as we wish that it was all about what happens between the lines that has never been the whole picture. The SEC should have one of the most exciting races in the country this fall, with powerhouses Texas, Georgia and Alabama fighting for a trip to Atlanta and several second-tier spoilers nipping at their heels. But frivolous fighting over ancillary issues may once again muddle the product on the field.

Good thing I’m just here to make some money!

With that in mind, here is Doc’s Sports 2025 SEC football preview and predictions:

The Favorite: Texas (+270)

According to sportsbook directors at some of Las Vegas’ largest books, no team in the country has garnered more action to win the national championship than the Texas Longhorns. Just because everyone is betting them to win it all that doesn’t mean that the Longhorns are the nation’s best team. Texas was voted No. 1 in the preseason college football rankings. They immediately became the first preseason No. 1 in history to be posted as an underdog in their season-opening game. If Texas can find a win in Columbus on Aug. 28 they have a clear path to 4-0. After that, the Longhorns have to play five of their next six SEC games on the road or at neutral sites, including a trip to Georgia on Nov. 18. Texas has lost a lot of talent the past two offseasons. The hope is that Arch Manning will make up for it with a Heisman-level campaign. If he doesn’t, this schedule might be enough to keep them from going back to the playoffs.

The Contender: Georgia (+330)

Kirby Smart is 105-19 straight up in his career. Last year he became the fastest coach to 100 wins in college history and the Bulldogs are 53-5 with two national titles over the last four seasons. Yet, the Bulldogs don’t feel like they have been given the “dynasty status” that other major programs have enjoyed. Georgia, which swept Texas in two meetings last season, is still loaded with highly coveted recruits on both sides of the ball. The X-factor is new quarterback Gunner Stockton, who was overwhelmed when forced into action late last season. If Stockton can take care of the ball and make a few plays the Bulldogs have a manageable schedule – four of their five games against preseason Top 25 opponents are at home or on neutral fields – and should be back in the title mix.

The Sleeper: Alabama (+380)

Alabama fans are even more delusional than normal SEC fans. Kalen DeBoer followed Nick Saban with a 9-4 season that included a thrilling win over then-No. 2 Georgia and blowout wins over rivals LSU (42-13) and Auburn (28-14). DeBoer did that despite a roster that was ill-suited to his offensive style. DeBoer’s squad should be even better in Year 2, and the addition of former Washington OC Ryan Grubb could give this attack a major boost. New quarterback Ty Simpson is surrounded by an excellent offensive line and stud receiver Ryan Williams. If Alabama can field another Top 20 defense this team will be in the thick of the SEC title race.

The Spoiler: Texas A&M (+1500)

We’ve been hearing about the Texas A&M breakthrough seemingly forever. It’s time to face facts: it’s probably never coming. A&M has been in the preseason Top 25 four straight years – including the Top 10 twice – only to be out of the Top 25 by the end of the season. In fact, there have been five different seasons – FIVE! – in which A&M has been inside the Top 10 at some point only to drop out of the Top 25 entirely by the end of the year. It won’t be any better for Mike Elko’s group this year. They have some talent. Quarterback Marcel Reed has some potential. But don’t be shocked by another four- or five-loss campaign from the Aggies. They have games at Notre Dame, LSU and Texas, though, so they could be a nice spoiler.

The Overvalued Team: South Carolina (+1400)

The Gamecocks are ranked No. 13 in the country heading into the season. My money is on them being out of the Top 25 by Halloween. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers is legit and head coach Shane Bieber has done a nice job stabilizing this second-tier SEC program. USC lost too much on the defensive side to be considered as an SEC contender, though, and their schedule is brutal. After USC’s first bye week (Oct. 4) they must play at LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, at Ole Miss, at A&M and vs. Clemson in six of their next seven games. There is no way they are running that gauntlet without taking at least four losses. Don’t buy into the hype of this group as some SEC sleeper. It’s not happening.

The Undervalued Team: Oklahoma (+2800)

I’m high on the Sooners this year. They were dealt a ridiculous schedule last season, their first in the SEC. It isn’t much easier this time around but I feel like OU is better equipped to handle it. New quarterback John Mateer is a major upgrade over departed Jackson Arnold and running back Jayden Ott is a future pro. The Sooners also have a lot more depth at receiver and will be better along the offensive line (thanks in part to two Stanford transfers). They were in the Top 30 last year in scoring, rushing and total defense and if they improve even slightly on that side of the ball their upgraded offense should make them a major factor in the league race.

The Rest:

LSU (+700): Brian Kelly is 29-11 SU in his three seasons in Baton Rouge. That is good. It hasn’t been good enough for the LSU faithful and Kelly’s seat is warming down in the Bayou. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is one of the nation’s top signal callers and the Tigers have their top rusher and top receiver back from an attack that averaged 30.5 points per game last year. LSU has been a mess on defense over the past two seasons, though. They overhauled that side of the ball with transfers and the Tigers need Harold Perkins and Jacobian Guillory to rebound from season-ending injuries.

Mississippi (+1600): I almost used Ole Miss as my “overvalued team” this year. I’m not as high on the Rebels as a lot of people are. Ole Miss lost a stud quarterback in Jaxson Dart and bid adieu to their top three rushers and four of their five top receivers. They will have three new starters on the offensive line and three more on the defensive line. In fact, the Rebels lost 11 of their top 13 tackers on defense, including several NFL draft picks. Ole Miss has one of the easiest schedules of any SEC team. But don’t let their stats and record distract from the fact that this is a soft team.

Florida (+1800): Billy Napier saved his job in Gainesville with an impressive close to last season, upsetting LSU and Ole Miss before hammering Florida State and Tulane. The Gators are hoping that momentum will carry over into this season. The Gators played seven games against Top 25 teams last year (3 against Top 10 opponents) and things don’t get any easier this year. Florida desperately needs quarterback D.J. Lagway to stay healthy after some offseason issues. This team is still going to be a tough out and has several more upsets in them. The schedule is too tough for a top tier league finish, though.

Tennessee (+2500): Josh Heupel is hoping for addition by subtraction at the quarterback position. Nico Iamaleava jumped ship over NIL compensation and now Heupel will hand the keys of his high-flying offense over to Appalachian State veteran Joey Aguilar. Heupel has kept the Vols in the Top 25 for 38 straight weeks heading into this season and Tennessee is 30-9 over the last three seasons. Tennessee has a manageable schedule. If they can avoid an upsets – and figure out the receiver position - they should be in the playoff picture heading into November.

Auburn (+2800): Head coach Hugh Freeze is on one of the hottest seats in the country. Auburn is just 8-14 in its last 22 games, with one win coming against Alabama A&M and one loss coming to New Mexico State. This was an extremely hard luck team last fall. The Tigers lost seven games for the fourth straight season, with those L’s coming thanks to a combination of turnovers, poor offensive play, and terrible late game luck. Auburn opens with three of its first five games away from home. If they don’t win at least two of those games Freeze could get shown the door before the Tigers host Georgia Oct. 11.

Missouri (+6000): The Tigers are a non-playable character in the SEC. They are just kind of there. And they will just kind of be there again this year. The Tigers are 21-5 SU over the past two seasons and Eli Drinkwitz has done a solid job in Columbia. They won’t be able to replace Brady Cook and Luther Burden on offense, though, and will need to rely on last year’s Top 20 defense to carry the squad this year. Starting the season with six straight home games (and eight of their first 10) helps the cause. This team’s record will likely be better than its actual talent.

Arkansas (+15,000): Sam Pittman staved off the slaughterhouse by winning seven games (including the Liberty Bowl) last season. That doesn’t mean that Pittman, entering his sixth year in Fayetteville, is on solid ground, though. The Razorbacks are a third-tier SEC program that dreams of more. The Razorbacks lost their top seven receivers, which isn’t great for quarterback Taylen Green’s outlook this season. They also fielded the nation’s No. 73 total defense last year and that was actually an improvement from the previous two years. Arkansas has road games at Ole Miss, at Memphis(!), at Tennessee, at LSU and at Texas. That means they have very little margin for error at home (including a home game against Notre Dame) if they want to get back to a bowl and save Pittman once again.

Vanderbilt (+20,000): Diego Pavia is very easily my favorite player in college football. This guy is great. He successfully sued the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility and won and Pavia is one of the best underdog quarterbacks of the last 20 years. In 2023 he dragged New Mexico State(!) to 10 wins and back-to-back bowl games. Then last year he led double-digit upset wins over Virginia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky, as well as near-misses against Missouri (double-OT loss) and Texas (27-24 loss). Pavia has stated “winning a national championship” as a goal and he fears no mortal man. Vanderbilt’s seven wins last season were the third-most the program has experienced in one season since the mid-80’s and if I had a Heisman vote it would go to Pavia even if he never played another down.

Kentucky (+25,000): Mark Stoops has undeniably been the best head coach in Lexington since Bear Bryant roamed the sidelines in the 1950’s. But the only thing keeping his future in Kentucky secure is a $37.5 million buyout that makes him too expensive to fire. Stoops’ four wins last year were Kentucky’s fewest since his 2-10 campaign in his first year on campus (2013). Texas A&M washout Zach Calzada, entering what seems like his 12th season, will try to kick start an offense that was No. 119 in scoring and No. 114 in total yards last season. Kentucky has a very good offensive line and their defense was No. 33 in the country in points allowed. Kentucky will need to pull at least three upsets to get back to a bowl game and if they don’t then people might start to pass the hat to rid themselves of Stoops.

Mississippi State (+50,000): Can you imagine how annoying it is to go to a game in Starkville? This team is terrible. It is going to be terrible again – unless Blake Shapen can harness his inner Dak Prescott – and you have to sit in the swamps of Mississippi listening to people ring cowbells for four hours. Shoot me. The Bulldogs had their 13-year bowl streak snapped last season while winning just two games (and losing at home to Toledo). They should have some underdog value this year, though, and the Bulldogs went 5-0 ATS as a double-digit underdog in 2024.

Robert Ferringo has posted seven of 10 winning football seasons, including last year thanks to an astounding +10,830 three-month run. Robert banked nearly +40,000 in profit between 2010-2019 for a 10-year average profit of nearly +4,000. He has earned 11 of 16 overall winning years and 69 of 114 winning months while also going 23-9 with his football futures rated 5.0+ and earning 16 of 19 winning Super Bowls. He is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and he is set for another amazing football season. SIGN UP HERE TODAY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR 3-FOR-1 FOOTBALL SPECIALS!

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