That, however, doesn't mean that the SEC still won't be the toughest conference in college football.

While Auburn has dropped down the oddsmakers' list at the Bodog Sportsbook to win the national title this season, there are still five other SEC schools in the first 20 spots on the current odds chart: Alabama (11/2), LSU (14/1), Florida (16/1), South Carolina (28/1), and Arkansas (30/1).

The Big Ten then has four schools in that first 20 spots on the odds list, with Wisconsin at 20/1, Nebraska and Ohio State both at 25/1, and Penn State at 30/1. Nebraska is a new member of the conference for 2011; they were in the Big 12 last season.

Having Nebraska still around would've strengthened the Big 12's case for being the toughest conference in college football – as it stands, they have to settle for having just three of the first 20 teams on the odds list, including overall favorite Oklahoma (9/2). Texas sits at 25/1 to win the title, with Oklahoma State at 30/1.

The ACC (Florida State 10/1, Virginia Tech 35/1), Pac-12 (Oregon 12/1, Stanford 16/1) and Mountain West (Boise State 14/1, TCU 30/1) all have two teams in that group of college football betting favorites. The Big East is then represented by West Virginia at 25/1, with independent Notre Dame at 28/1.

If you prefer to count BCS bowl berths when calculating conference strength, the SEC, Big Ten, and Pac-10 all had two schools in those games last season, while the Big 12, Big East, ACC, and Mountain West had one each.

Get all your college football odds at  BoDog.