SEC Power Poll – Florida Gators back to defend their National Championship

Preseson SEC Power Poll

The defending champion Florida Gators weren’t just the best team in the land a year ago, but they also topped the ATS charts as well. Find out how BetOnline Sportsbook stacks up the rest of the SEC teams behind them going into the 2009-10 CFB betting season…

1: Florida Gators (11-2 ATS, 13-1 SU in 2008) It’s simply great to be a Florida Gator right now. Not only have the Gators gone perfect both SU and ATS since losing to Ole Miss in the middle of last season, but QB Tim Tebow is coming back for his senior season. HC Urban Meyer’s squad has also been tabbed the undisputed favorite to win its third National Championship in the L/4 seasons. Anything less than a second Heisman Trophy for Tebow, an undefeated season, and another crystal football at the end of the year will be a disappointment.

Up Next: Home vs. Charleston Southern

2: Mississippi Rebels (9-3 ATS, 9-4 SU in 2008) Is this the year the Rebels can bust onto the national scene? They start the year ranked #8 in the country, and really shouldn’t do anything but move up until a potential road block against Alabama on October 10 th. Ole Miss dodges Florida on the schedule this year, but it’s pretty clear the Rebs will have to partake in a revenge match against the Gators in the SEC Championship game in order to contend for college football’s ultimate prize.

Up Next: Away @ Memphis

3: Alabama Crimson Tide (9-5 ATS, 12-2 SU in 2008) The Tide were the last undefeated team in the nation last season, but they lost to the teams that ultimately finished the season ranked #1 ( Florida) and #2 ( Utah) to close out the year. HC Nick Saban has signed a contract extension to keep him in Tuscaloosa for several more seasons, and optimism is running about for a team that is trying to throw itself back into the national spotlight on an annual basis.

Up Next: Home vs. Virginia Tech

4: Vanderbilt Commodores (8-5 ATS, 7-6 SU in 2008) Give it up for the Commodores! After decades of losing, QB Jay Cutler set the table for Vandy to get back to respectability. Even though Cutler never saw a bowl game, the ‘Dores scored a bowl victory last year against Boston College. Football bettors won’t like the fact that they failed to cover four of their L/5 in the regular season though.

Up Next: Home vs. Western Carolina

5: Kentucky Wildcats (6-6 ATS, 7-6 SU in 2008) The Wildcats qualified for a bowl game last season in spite of the fact that the team simply got very little production from its quarterbacks. Incumbent QB Mike Hartline absolutely must do better than the 1,666 yards he threw for last season, or the Cats stand no shot of repeating last season’s trip to the second season.

Up Next: Away @ Miami (OH)

And the rest…

6: South Carolina Gamecocks ( 5-6-1 ATS, 7-6 SU in 2008)

7: Arkansas Razorbacks (5-6 ATS, 5-7 SU in 2008)

8: Tennessee Volunteers (5-7 ATS, 5-7 SU in 2008)

9: Georgia Bulldogs ( 4-7-1 ATS, 10-3 SU in 2008)

10: Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-7 ATS, 4-8 SU in 2008)

11: LSU Tigers (3-9 ATS, 8-5 SU in 2008)

12: Auburn Tigers (2-9 ATS, 5-7 SU in 2008)