Hogs rated 2nd-best in West

— Arkansas was projected to finish second in the SEC West behind defending national champion Alabama by a vote of SEC media released Friday.

The Razorbacks beat Auburn 726-691 for second place in the vote of a record 177.

Arkansas received three votes in polling for SEC champion and six votes to win the SEC West.

Alabama was chosen by 143 voters to defend its SEC title, and the Crimson Tide were an overwhelming choice to take the SEC West with 157 first-placevotes and 1,034 points in the poll.

Florida, the two-time Eastern Division champion, received 153 first-place votes to defend that title and 17 votes to take the overall league championship.

The closest margin in all the polling was for second place in the East, where Georgia nipped South Carolina 791-790.

Vanderbilt was almost a unanimous choice to finish last in the SEC East, but the Commodores got one firstplace vote.

Ole Miss was picked to finish last in the SEC West, but also received three first-place votes. It is the first time a Houston Nutt-coached team has been picked last in SEC media polling since his debut team at Arkansas in 1998.

“Somebody told me y’all picked us last,” Nutt said. “Thank you. It doesn’t really matter.” All-SEC Hogs

Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams and quarterback Ryan Mallett were voted first-team preseason All-SEC in media voting at SEC media says.

Senior offensive tackle DeMarcus Love was a second-team choice and the onlyother Razorback picked on the team.

Mallett, a record-setting junior, topped Alabama’s Greg McElroy 118-44. Williams received 105 votes, ahead of Tennessee’s Luke Stocker (26).

Alabama tailback Mark Ingram, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, led all players with 165 votes. The Crimson Tide had eight first-team selections.

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/24/2010

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