All Eyes on Alabama: Week 5 SEC Betting Lines

All eyes are on Alabama this week. Before we get to the Week 5 SEC Betting lines, plenty of drama and intrigue surrounds the Heart of Dixie. On the field, all eyes will be on Tuscaloosa as No. 2 Georgia comes to town to take on the No. 4 Crimson Tide. These are two of the top programs in the SEC; we’ll get you started in just a moment, looking at how the two programs closely resemble each other. We’ll then head east to The Plains, where we’ll spill the tea on the drama surrounding Auburn’s Hugh Freeze comments. Those are the biggest narratives shaping up Week 5 in the SEC, let’s take a closer look before we look at the lines.

SEC Saturday Night in Tuscaloosa

Georgia and Alabama are atop the SEC and have a strong shared history. Since 2008, just two SEC Championship games have featured either the Dawgs or the Tide. The two teams have met four times during that time. While the games have been close and memorable, the Tide are a perfect 4-0 in those contests. These two teams share a DNA, just look at this roster comparison.

Kirby Smart is Nick Saban’s most successful disciple. Steve Sarkisian is making a case in Austin, but we will give him another year (or two) to anoint him in the same company. Smart has replicated #TheProcess and the never-ending pursuit of success in Athens. He has led Georgia to six SEC Championship appearances, two SEC Titles, and two national championships. Georgia and Alabama have also faced each other twice in the national championship and split both contests.

Saturday night presents a new opportunity. Saban is retired and will be in the suites instead of roaming the opposing sideline. Smart and Georiga were preseason darlings and were anointed the natural successors to the Crimson Tide Dynasty. Georgia comes into the game favored by two points. It marks the first time we are a home underdog since 2007, before star Crimson Tide receiver Ryan Williams was born. To be the man, though, you have to beat the man. Alabama has been the thorn in Smart’s side. Georgia has a 49-2 record since 2020. Both losses are to the Crimson Tide. If Smart and the Dawgs are ready to take the throne, they better swing and not miss on Saturday night.

Who Has Your QB’s Back?

The Week 5 SEC drama isn’t contained just to Tuscaloosa. There is plenty of drama and intrigue with Alabama’s other SEC school.  It’s easy to say that Year 2 has not started as Auburn fans hoped when they hired Hugh Freeze last year. Auburn is 2-2 on the season, and its two losses are at home to Cal and Arkansas. Those losses are unacceptable on The Plains, but Freeze has made matters worse with his remarks in his press conference. After last Saturday’s games, he threw his quarterbacks under the bus….err, tried to explain Auburn’s challenges on offense in 2024. “We’ve got to find a guy that won’t throw it to the other team and we’ve got to find running backs that hold on to it,” Freeze said.  “The scheme is what most everybody in the country is running, some sort of. But you’ve got to have a good quarterback in whatever system you’re going to choose.”

It’s never a good look to throw your quarterbacks under the bus, especially when you “complained” about the prices in the offseason. Brother Hugh is different, though, and his radio show comments this week caused more problems. Despite losing to Arkansas last week at Jordan Hare, Freeze again tried to prove that he was infallible. “I love Sam Pittman and I hope he wins the rest of his games, but I’m telling you the hard truth is we play [Arkansas] nine more times, we’d beat them nine times. And that’s what’s hard to take.” Some guys just don’t get it. Freeze had two really nice years at Ole Miss and seemed destined for more. A scandal quickly ended his time in Oxford. He was lucky to get a second chance on The Plains but appears to be squandering it away. 

Social Media Melts Freeze

Freeze’s comments did not go unnoticed, nor did they escape comment on social media. It’s where the responses came from that are most telling. Here are three top comments showing that Freeze might want to consider thinking the next time he speaks.

First, Bo Wallace went viral on Saturday night after his former coach for attacking the quarterbacks. He tweeted, “I said he was one of the best play callers in the country and still believe that … but don’t be a coward and blame it on kids.” Freeze gave Wallace a second chance at Ole Miss and won some of his biggest games with the quarterback. Wallace has been known to pop off on social media, but coming after his former coach is telling.

Second, Arkansas heard Freeze’s remarks on how many times he would beat them. You could say they took that personally.

That’s a pick nine times out of nine for @jj4x_ 🤫 pic.twitter.com/mcpmapsmfw

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) September 24, 2024

10/10 response to the Razorback social media team.

Finally, we head to Oxford. With Nick Saban retired, Lane Kiffin has taken the microphone to help guide the narrative and conversation around the SEC. At his press conference this week, the Rebels head coach talked about the importance of his players knowing that he had their backs. Notice he never mentions Freeze or Auburn by name, but the message is loud and clear.

“I think it pays off when you have relationships, and the quarterbacks trust you too. You can go back to Matt Corrall, when he threw six interceptions (which actually came against Arkansas), before I even got to the media, sitting down with him, telling him we gotta do a better job calling plays, I gotta coach better, and don’t worry cause we got your back. I think that goes a long ways, and I think that goes a long ways with kids in recruiting of knowing what they’re gonna get when they get here, from a relationship, that they can trust us to have their back.”

That’s enough of the Week 5 SEC drama; now to what’s happening on the field.

Week 5 SEC Betting Lines

Rankings are based on the AP media poll. SEC betting lines and game totals are courtesy of FanDuel. All games are Eastern Standard Time. Check the links for insights from your favorite Last Word on College Football writers. Just a reminder, the Texas game is an SEC game and not against a G5 or FCS opponent.