Predicting SEC win totals ahead of the season is always entertaining.

The reaction of the over/unders when they’re first released is rather funny, as potential bettors weigh in on what’s a good buy and what isn’t. Largely, Tennessee is projected to win the SEC East, and that’s reflected in Vegas, too, along with a consensus from the media.

CBS Sports’ Robby Kalland recently predicted the SEC East’s over/unders, which was set by Las Vegas, for 2016, and the site thinks the Vols win the SEC East and hit the over on 9.5 wins. Here’s the reasoning:

The roster is there and the schedule provides an opportunity for them to be a 10-win team for the first time in the regular season since 2004. Alabama must come to Knoxville this year, as will Florida, and the Vols’ toughest out-of-conference game is against a Virginia Tech team in Bristol, Tennessee. Road games at Georgia, Texas A&M and spunky in-state rival Vanderbilt could prove to be stumbling blocks on the Vols road this year, but I’m going to buy in on all that talent in a weak division and say they get it done, keep it to two losses and land a 10-win season in 2016.

Here are the picks:

Florida Gators (7.5): UNDER
Georgia Bulldogs (8.5): OVER
Kentucky Wildcats (5): OVER
Missouri Tigers (5.5): UNDER
South Carolina Gamecocks (5): UNDER
Tennessee Volunteers (9.5): OVER
Vanderbilt Commodores (5): OVER

Few takeaways:

  • I, too, think Tennessee is the favorite entering the season, but I don’t think the Vols will win it. We’ll find out whether Butch Jones is a championship coach in 2016. A ten-win season would put the Vols on the over, and that’s probably a decent bet.
  • The most attractive over/under here is Florida at 7.5. While CBS Sports takes the under, I’m taking the over. There’s a ton of value there, and Jim McElwain will try and follow up a 10-win rookie season.
  • CBS thinks Kentucky hits the over, thus making a bowl game and breaking the streak.