2016 College Football Picks and Predictions: SEC Championship Game Free Pick

2016 College Football Picks and Predictions: SEC Championship Game Free Pick: Normally among the most anticipated conference title games, this year’s SEC Championship Game is lacking a little luster. The top-ranked and undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide take on the 15th-ranked Florida Gators, but after such a dominant regular season, the Crimson Tide have probably secured a spot in the College Football Playoff regardless of the outcome. Meanwhile, the Gators have no chance of reaching the playoffs, even if they spring the upset.

The spread reflects the one-sided nature of this matchup, and the Crimson Tide roll into the conference title game as hefty 24-point favorites.

2016 College Football Picks and Predictions: SEC Championship Game Free Pick

Florida Wins If:

The best-case scenario for the Gators is that Nick Saban and company accidentally end up at the wrong stadium, resulting in a forfeit. Jokes aside, it is going to take a lot to go right for Florida to have a chance in this one. The Gators do have one of the top defenses in the country, and a special effort on that side of the ball will go a long way to fueling an upset. Saban has been known to play things a little conservative in big games, so if Florida can keep the Crimson Tide off the scoreboard early, Alabama could revert to a run-heavy attack. Offensively, the Gators just have to hope they get a couple of unexpected big plays, especially early. The Gators are not built to come from behind, and things are going to spiral in a hurry if Florida ends up in a must-throw situation.

Alabama Wins If:

Alabama goes into this game as the better team, and with a focused effort on both sides of the ball, the Crimson Tide should leave with the win. There is really no reason the Gators should be able to move the ball on Alabama’s defense, so as long as the Crimson Tide play a clean game on offense and special teams, they should be in great shape. Giving Florida short fields via turnovers is the only way the Gators should be in this game. If Alabama takes care of the ball, they are going to take care of business.

Bottom Line:

On paper, this is a matchup between two of the best defenses in the country. Alabama owns the top-ranked scoring defense, and the Gators also rank in the top five. However, the Crimson Tide also rank in the top 20 in scoring offense, but the Florida ranks outside the top 100. Common opponents don’t always tell the whole story, but Florida lost to Tennessee and Arkansas, and the Crimson Tide throttled both those teams. With most times, you could be concerned by a lack of focus since Alabama is likely playing for a national title no matter what happens against the Gators. However, that fear doesn’t exist with a Saban-coached team. Alabama is the better team on both sides of the ball, especially on offense, and they are going to show it. Florida will be lucky to find the end zone, and the Crimson Tide will roll, pun intended.

Prediction: Alabama Crimson Tide (-24) Cover the Spread