The Kentucky Wildcats were picked to finish fourth in the SEC East division by the league’s media on Friday.
Georgia is picked to win the East, followed by Tennessee and South Carolina. Florida is fifth, Missouri is sixth and Vanderbilt is last (despite receiving eight inexplicable first place votes).
Alabama is projected to win the West, just ahead of LSU.
.@GeorgiaFootball has been predicted to win the 2023 #SECChampionship by a vote of the media at #SECMD23
https://t.co/TYRTK28RyH pic.twitter.com/kG8mj33Joz
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) July 21, 2023
Here is a release from the SEC:
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (July 21, 2023)–Georgia has been predicted to win the 2023 SEC Championship, according to a preseason poll of media covering SEC Football Media Days.
The Bulldogs received 181 votes to be crowned SEC Champion on December 2 in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, while Alabama was second with 62 votes.
Georgia was selected to win the SEC Eastern Division with 2011 points, including an overwhelming 265 first-place votes, while Tennessee was second with 1682 points and 14 votes to win the division. South Carolina was third with 1254 points. Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.
Alabama was picked to win the SEC Western Division with 1899 total points, narrowly over LSU with 1838 points. Texas A&M was third with 1144 points.
Only nine times since 1992 (31 years) has the predicted champion prior to the season at SEC Media Days proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game.
SEC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
First place votes in ()
EASTERN DIVISION
SCHOOL POINTS
Georgia (265) 2011
Tennessee (14) 1682
South Carolina (3) 1254
Kentucky (1) 1204
Florida 911
Missouri 658
Vanderbilt (8) 428
WESTERN DIVISION
SCHOOL POINTS
Alabama (165) 1899
LSU (117) 1838
Texas A&M (1) 1144
Ole Miss 1128
Arkansas (3) 958
Auburn (4) 685
Mississippi State (1) 496
SEC CHAMPION
SCHOOL POINTS
Georgia 181
Alabama 62
LSU 31
Tennessee 5
Vanderbilt 5
Arkansas 2
Auburn 2
Texas A&M 1
Mississippi State 1
South Carolina 1
