ATHENS — Georgia football remains the odds-on SEC favorite per ESPN’s latest metrics — and by a long shot.

The Bulldogs have a 31.9-percent chance of winning the SEC title, per an ESPN-pay article by metrics expert Bill Connelly.

Texas is next up, per the ESPN metrics, with less than half the chance (15.8 percent), followed by Alabama (14.1 percent) and Ole Miss (10.7 percent).

Georgia’s strong odds are even more impressive when one considers the Bulldogs face the Longhorns, the Tide and the Rebels in road games this season.

It’s worth noting Alabama, which lost safeties Caleb Downs (Ohio State) and Jake Pope (Georgia) in the portal, returns just 41.8 percent of its defensive production (121st in the nation).

ESPN projects Georgia’s strength of schedule to rank fifth in the nation — with the slates of Florida (first), Mississippi State (second), Oklahoma (third) and South Carolina (fourth) the only schedules deemed tougher.

The Bulldogs have 68.2-percent of their returning production (29th best in the nation), with a heavier concentration of offensive production back (75.1 percent, 22nd nationally) than defense (61.4 percent, 61st in the nation).

ESPN notes that Kirby Smart is 86-11 leading Georgia since the start of the 2017 season. It’s a span of a program-record seven straight years where the Bulldogs have finished ranked in the Top 10.

Indeed, the last time Smart lost to an active head coach was following the 2018 season in the Sugar Bowl, when then-Texas coach (and now Florida Atlantic coach) Tom Herman guided the Longhorns to a 28-21 win.

Looking around the SEC

Kentucky, which is projected to win seven games, has the most overall returning production in the SEC (72.1 percent, 14th).

Ole Miss, with 82.5 percent of its offensive production returning, leads the SEC in that category and ranks ninth nationally.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, has 86.2 percent of its defensive production back this season, which ranks third-best in the nation.

Mississippi State (116th nationally) and Tennessee (108th nationally) have the least returning overall production in the SEC.

Projected SEC conference game win total for Georgia opponents

Sept. 14 at Kentucky (3.5 wins)

Sept. 18 at Alabama (5.8)

Oct. 5 vs. Auburn (3.0)

Oct. 12 vs. Mississippi State (1.1)

Oct. 19 at Texas (6.4)

Nov. 2 vs. Florida (2.4)

Nov. 9 at Ole Miss (5.9)

Nov. 16 vs. Tennessee (4.9)