College Football Betting: Southeastern Conference (SEC) dominates NCAA Football Polls

When it comes to winning BCS National Championships, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) is the dominant force in the NCAA  Over the past seasons, the conference set one of the strongest dynasties in College Football, beating almost every rival during regular season and claiming more division and BCS titles than any other division.  The record is simply stunning:  in six years, four SEC teams (Florida, LSU, Alabama, and Auburn) have claimed six straight National Championship Titles.

SEC's supremacy is reaching historic proportions. To put it on perspective, Texas was the last school outside the SEC to claim a national title (2005). Since the establishment of the BCS National Championship Game in 1998, Southeastern Conference members won a total of 8 BCS titles (Alabama (2), Florida (2), LSU (2), Tennessee (1) and Auburn (1)), including the very first BCS championship game in 1998 (Tennessee).  On top of that, Four SEC teams (Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Tennessee) have a perfect record (1.000 Success rate) at the annual BCS Championship game.

In comparison, Big 12, SEC’s closest title rival, has only 2 victories (200 and 2005) and 5 Losses at BCS Championship Games (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2009). The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) counts with one victory (1999) and two losses (2000 and 1998), while Big East and Big 10 has one Championship Title each (2001 and 2002 respectively). Pac 10 has only one victory (2004) and two losses, however, the 2004 BCS Championship was declared deserted due to NCAA sanctions against USC, nullifying participation and results in 2004 and 2005. So far, no current members of the Big East have played a single BCS championship game.

In the last edition of the BCS Championship held on January at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in Louisiana, SEC division members Alabama and LSU clashed last for the 2012 national title. The Crimson Tide outscored LSU 21-0 and avenged its only regular season loss, a 9-6 overtime home setback against the LSU Tigers on November 5th.

Besides adding another title to SEC’s long list of achievements, Alabama’s victory also set new league records.  The victory marked the first time since 1936 that a member of any conference claims the national championship without having won its own conference title. Additionally, head coach Nick Saban won his second national title with Alabama and third overall (LSU, 2003 season), becoming the first coach to win three national championships in the BCS's 14-year era. Additionally, LSU’s loss vs. the Crimson Tide marked the first time an SEC team had been defeated in a BCS Championship game.

Despite the loss, everyone is expecting LSU to recover and claim the national title. The same LSU that was demolished by Alabama in the BCS title game will start the season as No. 1 contender according to several media polls, including The Sporting News, USA Today and CBSSports.com.  For a team that knows what it's like to play under pressure and how to deal with high expectations, the designation only brings even more motivation.

In addition to LSU, other SEC power is also raising expectations among odds makers and bettors: Alabama. Coming off its second national championship in the past three years, LSU’s major rival in the Southeastern Conference will kick off the 2012 season ranked in No. 2 position.

The Crimson Tide lost several key players NFL draft, however, the defending national champion will try to keep its momentum alive and claim its third national title in four years.

This is only the second time in 14 years that two previous BCS title game contenders began the season in number one and second positions in the coaches' poll. The other time was 1999 with Florida State opening No. 1, followed by Tennessee. FSU kept the No. 1 spot every week of the season en route to the national title. The Tide will open its season at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1 against Michigan in the 2012 Cowboys Classic at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Wolverines are ranked No. 8 in the preseason coaches' poll.

In addition to LSU and Alabama, five SEC teams are ranked in the top 10 and seven other are in the top 25. According to USA Today coaches' preseason poll, Georgia is ranked No. 6, South Carolina is ranked No. 9. Arkansas is ranked No. 10. Florida is ranked No. 23. Auburn is ranked No. 25.

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