Georgia looks for three-peat while Alabama, LSU vie for final West title: SEC Need To Know

It’s the end of an era in the SEC as the conference plays its 32nd and final season with divisions before expanding to 16 teams next season.

Georgia is the favorite to win the conference according to ESPN Analytics and the national championship according to Caesars Sportsbook. The last team to win three straight national championships was Minnesota from 1934-36.

Alabama and LSU have combined to play in 21 of the 31 SEC championship games and are both ranked in the Top 5 in the AP Preseason poll. The Tigers – who won the West last season – have never played in back-to-back championship games and visit the Crimson Tide in November.

The four biggest matchups in Week 1 are all taking place away from SEC campuses. Florida visits No. 14 Utah on Thursday, the first time the Gators have played a true road non-conference game since 1991.

No. 12 Tennessee (vs Virginia in Nashville), South Carolina (vs No. 21 North Carolina in Charlotte) and No. 5 LSU (vs No. 8 Florida State in Orlando) all open the season with neutral-site contests against ACC opponents.

Georgia won its second straight national championship last season, joining LSU in 2019 as the only SEC teams to go 15-0 in a season. The Bulldogs are looking to become the first school to win three straight football titles since Minnesota from 1934-36.

The Bulldogs are the seventh school to win back-to-back outright national championships since the AP Poll debuted in 1936. Two of the previous six went undefeated but finished second in the AP Poll in their quest for the three-peat (Notre Dame went 9-0-1 in 1948, Army went 9-0-1 in 1946).

The SEC broke into divisions in 1992 when it expanded to 12 teams but will eliminate divisions when it expands to 16 teams next season. Alabama (14) and LSU (7) have combined to win two-thirds of the West Division titles, including five straight.

Alabama and LSU both open the season in the Top 5 of the AP Poll. Five of the seven teams in the division have won at least one West title; the two that haven’t are both ranked in the AP Preseason Poll (No. 22 Ole Miss and No. 23 Texas A&M).

The Crimson Tide are the favorite to win the division according to ESPN Analytics; they host LSU the first week of November.  More on all things week 1 in college football this week with Shemon and Sheppard 2-6pm.

Football fans are gearing up for the upcoming NFL season. Some fans are so passionate that their enthusiasm borders on religious fervor. And yes, they pray for their team.  Beyond their prayers, they also have some superstitions. You know the types. They go bare chested in zero degree weather and paint themselves in their favorite team's colors. Or their mood for the week depends on if their team won or lost.

There are fans and then there devout believers.  Those are the ones who get a bit too superstitious.

You know that person who stays in the same spot throughout an entire game, and when their team gives up possession they change positions? That's who we're talking about. So, when things are going well, they're practically immobile. They won't step away for food or even use the bathroom. Why? Because they can’t risk "messing up the flow." On the other hand, if things are not going as planned, they might wander around the living room persistently in search of a lucky seat where good things could potentially happen. Of course, for some fans, their ritualistic and superstitious behaviors might just be traditions, regardless of whether their team comes out on top or experiences a loss.

From wearing a specific jersey to eating a particular snack, these rituals are believed to bring luck and influence the game. For instance, some fans might have a lucky pre-game routine. Kike wearing mismatched socks or doing a little victory dance before kickoff. Even food choices play a role, with some fans only eating certain foods while watching the game. For instance nachos or chicken wings, believing that deviating from this menu might lead to bad luck. It's these quirky and often amusing superstitions that add an extra layer of excitement to the football fan experience.

Take a look at a few of these superstition-filled traditions that football fans have been sharing on Reddit.

For some fans, the belief in "jersey power" is real, relying on their chosen jersey to bring their team to victory. A Reddit user revealed, "I change jerseys every game. Never wear the same one twice in a row." They mentioned that during one season, the Jaguars secured a 3-1 record when following this practice, but experienced a 0-12 record when they didn't.

Some fans unquestionably take their rituals to the extreme. During Vince Young's playing days, a Redditor mentioned that they used to perform a rather unconventional practice of burning a photo of the player. They would attach a picture of his face to a Barbie doll and place it on the grill as part of their ritual.

This particular approach might come across as a bit harsh, yet it seems to show results for this person. Apparently, ignoring their wife and kid during the game is their strategy. "I know it's weird and the results haven't been great, but I'm not going to risk it," they wrote. Priorities, dude!

Some say that dissecting your superstitions like a science can work wonders. A Reddit user shared their approach, saying that if, for some reason, they tune into the game late and the Ravens are in the lead, they turn the game off. "Watching will only swing the game in the opposite direction. It's like the Heisenberg Principle of quantum football mechanics. Intense observation will only change the outcome," they humorously explained. That's dedication!

Having a lucky seat or a designated sweet spot to park yourself during every football game is a ritual many fans swear by. According to one person, during game days, they make a point to occupy the exact same barstool. They mentioned, "Everyone has assigned seats at the bar."

Some hardcore football fans throw hygiene to the wind. A Reddit user opened up about their peculiar belief. If they don't shower right before the game, they're convinced the Eagles will end up on the losing side. They added, "Sometimes if we had a crappy first half, I'll take another shower, for a fresh start."

Luck can take some interesting forms, like the practice of counting things a specific number of times. A person mentioned that on game days, they apply three strokes of deodorant per armpit in support of Russell Wilson. Some people are all about the idea that stuff tends to go down in threes.