Media predicts Alabama to win 2018 SEC Championship



Photo: David Goldman | AP

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- SEC Football Media Days concluded on Thursday with media in attendance predicting Alabama to win the 2018 SEC Championship.

Alabama received 193 votes to be crowned SEC Champion on December 1 in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, while Georgia was second with 69 votes.

Georgia was selected to win the SEC Eastern Division with 1,977points, including 271 first-place votes, while South Carolina was second with 1,535 points and 8 votes to win the division. Florida was third with 1,441 total points. Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.

Alabama was picked to win the SEC Western Division with 1,971 total points, while Auburn was second with 1,664. Alabama received 263 first-place votes in the SEC West. Mississippi State was third with 1,239 points.

Only six times since 1992 has the predicted champion at SEC Media Days proceeded to win the SEC Championship.

Eastern Division (1st Place votes in parenthesis) School Points Georgia (271) 1977 South Carolina (8) 1535 Florida (4) 1441 Missouri 1057 Kentucky (1) 874 Tennessee (1) 704 Vanderbilt 392 Western Division (1st Place votes in parenthesis) School Points Alabama (263) 1971 Auburn (19) 1664 Mississippi State (2) 1239 Texas A&M 1091 LSU 1025 Ole Miss 578 Arkansas 412

SEC Champion School Points Alabama 193 Georgia 69 Auburn 14 South Carolina 4 Florida 2 Mississippi State 1 Missouri 1

2018 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM

First-Team

QB Drew Lock, Missouri

RB Damien Harris, Alabama

RB Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky

WR A.J. Brown, Ole Miss

WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina

TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri

OL Jonah Williams, Alabama

OL Greg Little, Ole Miss

OL Martez Ivey, Florida

OL Trey Smith, Tennessee

C Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama

Second-Team

QB Jarrett Stidham, Auburn

RB D'Andre Swift, Georgia

RB Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M

WR Terry Godwin, Georgia

WR Ryan Davis, Auburn

TE Isaac Nauta, Georgia

OL Andrew Thomas, Georgia

OL Lester Cotton, Alabama

OL Hjalte Froholdt, Arkansas

OL Garrett Brumfield, LSU

C Lamont Gaillard, Georgia

Third-Team

*QB Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State

*QB Jake Fromm, Georgia

RB Aeris Williams, Mississippi State

RB Jordan Scarlett, Florida

WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama

WR Emanuel Hall, Missouri

TE C.J. Conrad, Kentucky

OL Matt Womack, Alabama

OL Zack Bailey, South Carolina

OL Javon Patterson, Ole Miss

OL Marquel Harrell, Auburn

C Erik McCoy, Texas A&M

DEFENSE

First-Team

DL Raekwon Davis, Alabama

DL Cece Jefferson, Florida

DL Montez Sweat, Mississippi State

DL Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State

LB Devin White, LSU

LB Anfernee Jennings, Alabama

LB Mack Wilson, Alabama

DB Deandre Baker, Georgia

DB Greedy Williams, LSU

DB J.R. Reed, Georgia

DB Deionte Thompson, Alabama

Second-Team

DL Jonathan Ledbetter, Georgia

DL Terry Beckner, Missouri

DL Derrick Brown, Auburn

DL Isaiah Buggs, Alabama

LB Josh Allen, Kentucky

LB Deshaun Davis, Auburn

LB D'Andre Walker, Georgia

DB Mike Edwards, Kentucky

DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida

DB Jamel Dean, Auburn

DB CJ Henderson, Florida

Third-Team

DL Dontavius Russell, Auburn

DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU

DL Marlon Davidson, Auburn

*DL Kingsley Keke, Texas A&M

*DL Landis Durham, Texas A&M

LB Dylan Moses, Alabama

LB David Reese, Florida

LB De'Jon Harris, Arkansas

DB Mark McLaurin, Mississippi State

DB Marco Wilson, Florida

DB Javaris Davis, Auburn

DB Santos Ramirez, Arkansas

SPECIALISTS

First-Team

P Corey Fatony, Missouri

PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia

RS Deebo Samuel, South Carolina

AP Deebo Samuel, South Carolina

Second-Team

P Joseph Charlton, South Carolina

PK Daniel LaCamera, Texas A&M

RS Mecole Hardman, Georgia

AP Trevon Diggs, Alabama

Third-Team

P Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU

PK Tucker McCann, Missouri

RS Trevon Diggs, Alabama

AP Kadarius Toney, Florida

* - Indicates a tie

NOTES:

* - Since 2000, Arkansas' Darren McFadden (Arkansas) is the only unanimous selection to the SEC Media Days First Team at his position, collecting all possible votes that year.

* - Since 1992, the most players on a first-team was 10 by Alabama in 2017.