According to the media attending last week’s SEC football media days, the conference might as well mail Alabama another SEC Championship trophy.
More than 1,200 attended but only 243 participated in the poll that gave the Crimson Tide 182 votes to win the conference championship.
Next was Georgia with 38 votes.
This is the same group that did not unanimously make Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina’s awesome defensive lineman, a unanimous first-team all-SEC selection. Some 20 voters left him off their ballot.
Johnny Manziel, the returning Heisman Trophy winner for Texas A&M, was ignored by 124 voters for first team quarterback.
Running back T.J. Yeldon of Alabama got 221 votes and Manziel just 119?
Arkansas Razorbacks center Travis Swanson, a very polite young man during a short elevator ride, and defensive end Chris Smith made first team offense and defense, respectively.
The only other Hog named was Zach Hocker as the third team place-kicker on speciality teams, and he is a weapon that the Hogs will count on this season.
Maybe the predictions are about right, but if some voters in the group can overlook Clowney and Manziel as first team selections, it’s possible SEC media will keep their poor record of selecting the overall winner intact.
Only four times since 1992 have the media correctly picked the winner of the SEC Championship game; three of those times it was Florida, LSU was the other.
Alabama seems like a safe pick, and just for fun, here are my predictions for the SEC standings, which are a little different than the consensus last week.
EASTERN DIVISION
GEORGIA But the Bulldogs have got to stop somebody this season. Their defense has more holes than the back end of a shooting gallery.
SOUTH CAROLINA The Gamecocks have got to get more done through the air this season.
FLORIDA The Gators were shocked in the Sugar Bowl by Louisville and return only 10 starters, but the East is still the least in the SEC.
VANDERBILT Could vie for third if Coach James Franklin can find a quarterback.
MISSOURI Fourteen starters return with a chance to get Coach Gary Pinkel off the hot seat.
TENNESSEE New Coach Butch Jones is a proven winner and inherits 13 returning starters, but a quarterback needs to be established, quickly.
KENTUCKY A basketball school.
WESTERN DIVISION
ALABAMA It seems like the Crimson Tide return 85 starters.
TEXAS A&M The Aggies’ schedule is a slam dunk for them, and if they beat the Tide, they’ll win the West.
LSU The schedule is tough and only three offensive starters return for Coach Les Miles. It would be a huge help if Zach Mettenberger has matured into a SEC quarterback.
OLE MISS The Rebels return their entire defense and eight starters on offense, but play at Texas, Alabama and Auburn on consecutive Saturdays. They have an unbelievable group of incoming freshmen too.
ARKANSAS The Razorbacks were picked last by the media, but the defense should be better. Offense is the big question, but there is so much improvement in the coaching staff that it would be difficult for them not to be improved overall.
AUBURN The Gus Bus is ready to leave the station with 15 returning starters, but the Tigers didn’t win a conference game a year ago when they were outscored 272-81. Gus Malzahn will need all of his offensive genius.
MISSISSIPPI STATE The Bulldogs return 10 starters from a team that lost five of its last six games. The defense should be of great concern, and maybe the offense too.
Sports, Pages 23 on 07/21/2013