BIRMINGHAM, Ala — Alabama has been predicted to win the 2020 SEC Championship, according to a preseason poll of media covering SEC football.
Alabama received 77 votes to be crowned SEC Champion on December 19in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, while Georgia and LSU tied for second with seven votes each.
Florida was selected to win the SEC Eastern Division with 624 points, including 53 first-place votes, while Georgia was second with 613 points and 43 votes to win the division. Tennessee was third with 434 points. Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.
Alabama was picked to win the SEC Western Division with 660 total points,followed by LSU with 489 and Auburn with 488. Alabama received 86 first-place votes in the SEC West.
Alabama led the way with 13 representatives on the Preseason All-SEC Team, including eight on the first team. LSU had 10 members selected to the Preseason All-SEC Team, while Georgia had nine.
Seven times since 1992 has the predicted champion prior to the season proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game.
SEC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
First place votes in ()
EASTERN DIVISION
1. Florida (53) - 624
2. Georgia (43) - 613
3. Tennessee - 434
4. Kentucky - 405
5. South Carolina - 287
6. Missouri - 224
7. Vanderbilt - 101
WESTERN DIVISION
1. Alabama (86) - 660
2. LSU (8) - 489
3. Auburn - 488
4. Texas A&M (2) - 454
T5. Ole Miss - 238
T5. Mississippi State - 238
7. Arkansas - 121
SEC CHAMPION
1. Alabama - 77
T2. Georgia - 7
T2.LSU - 7
4.Florida - 5
2020 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First-Team
QB - Kyle Trask, Florida
RB - Najee Harris, Alabama
RB - Kylin Hill, Mississippi State
WR - DeVonta Smith, Alabama
WR - Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
TE - Kyle Pitts, Florida
OL - Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
OL - Trey Smith, Tennessee
OL - Landon Dickerson, Alabama
OL - Landon Young, Kentucky
C - Drake Jackson, Kentucky
Second-Team
QB - Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
RB - Rakeem Boyd, Arkansas
RB - Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
WR - George Pickens, Georgia
WR - Terrace Marshall, LSU
TE - Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
OL - Deonte Brown, Alabama
OL - Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
OL - Sadarius Hutcherson, South Carolina
OL - Ed Ingram, LSU
C - Trey Hill, Georgia
Third-Team
QB - Mac Jones, Alabama
RB - Zamir White, Georgia
RB - Larry Rountree, Missouri
WR - Seth Williams, Auburn
WR - Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
TE - Arik Gilbert, LSU
OL - Austin Deculus, LSU
OL - Brodarious Hamm, Auburn
OL - Evan Neal, Alabama
OL - Wanya Morris, Tennessee
C - Landon Dickerson, Alabama
DEFENSE
First-Team
DL - Big Kat Bryant, Auburn
DL - LaBryan Ray, Alabama
DL - Jordan Davis, Georgia
DL - Malik Herring, Georgia
LB - Dylan Moses, Alabama
LB - K.J. Britt, Auburn
LB - Nick Bolton, Missouri
DB - Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
DB - Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
DB - Richard LeCounte, Georgia
DB - Jacoby Stevens, LSU
Second-Team
DL - Bobby Brown, Texas A&M
DL - Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt
DL - Kobie Whiteside, Missouri
DL - Zachary Carter, Florida
LB - Henry To'o To'o, Tennessee
LB - Monty Rice, Georgia
LB - Jabril Cox, LSU
DB - Kaiir Elam, Florida
DB - Eric Stokes, Georgia
DB - Marco Wilson, Florida
DB - Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina
Third-Team
DL - Aaron Sterling, South Carolina
DL - Glen Logan, LSU
DL - Josh Paschal, Kentucky
DL - DJ Dale, Alabama
LB - Ventrell Miller, Florida
LB - Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
LB - Boogie Watson, Kentucky
DB - Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
DB - Smoke Monday, Auburn
DB - Tyree Gillespie, Missouri
DB - Christian Tutt, Auburn*
DB - Bryce Thompson, Tennessee*
SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P - Max Duffy, Kentucky
PK - Brent Cimaglia, Tennessee
RS - Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
AP - Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second-Team
P - Jake Camarda, Georgia
PK - Cade York, LSU
RS - Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
AP - Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
Third-Team
P - Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU
PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS - Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
AP - Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
* - Indicates a tie
