Georgia tops preseason media poll to win SEC championship in 2026

>Georgia was the preseason pick to win the Southeastern Conference championship, according to voters attending the league’s annual media days event in Tampa.

>[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

>The Bulldogs received 88 of 164 votes to reach the title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in early December. Texas was the second choice, with 57 votes, and Mississippi a distant third with six. Texas A&M, Alabama, Oklahoma, LSU and Kentucky also received votes.

>Only 10 times since 1992 has the media’s preseason predicted champion proceeded to win the SEC title game.

>Media also voted on preseason All-SEC teams, with Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss edging Texas’ Arch Manning for first-team quarterback.

Predicted order of finish1. Georgia, 2,510 points

>2. Texas, 2,449

>3. Mississippi, 2,004

>4. Texas A&M, 1,967

>5. LSU, 1,961

>6. Alabama, 1,930

>7. Oklahoma, 1,914

>8. Tennessee, 1,320

>9. Florida, 1,217

>10. Missouri, 1,105

>11. South Carolina, 956

>12. Auburn, 936

>13. Vanderbilt, 751

>14. Kentucky, 546

>15. Mississippi State, 467

>16. Arkansas, 262

First-team offenseQB: Trinidad Chambliss, Mississippi

>RB: Kewan Lacy, Mississippi; Ahmad Hardy, Missouri

>WR: Cam Coleman, Texas; Ryan Coleman-Williams, Alabama

>TE: Trey’Dez Green, LSU

>OG/OT: Trevor Goosby, Texas; Cayden Green, Missouri; Jordan Seaton, LSU; Earnest Greene III, Georgia

>C: Drew Bobo, Georgia

>All-purpose: Mario Craver, Texas A&M

First-team defenseDL: Colin Simmons, Texas; Will Echoles, Mississippi; Dylan Stewart, South Carolina; Princewill Umanmielen, LSU

>LB: Whit Weeks, LSU; Xavier Atkins, Auburn; Rasheem Biles, Texas

>DB: KJ Bolden, Georgia; Zabien Brown, Alabama; Bray Hubbard, Alabama; Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia

First-team specialistsPK: Tate Sandell, Oklahoma

>P: Grant Chadwick, LSU

>Return specialist: Ryan Niblett, Texas

>Kickoff specialist: Tate Sandell, Oklahoma

>Long snapper: Ben Anderson, Oklahoma

Second-team offenseQB: Arch Manning, Texas

>RB: Jadan Baugh, Florida; Nate Frazier, Georgia

>WR: Mario Craver, Texas A&M; Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma

>TE: Lawson Luckie, Georgia

>OG/OT: Dontrell Glover, Georgia; Michael Fasusi, Oklahoma; Michael Carroll, Alabama; Lance Heard, Kentucky

>C: Mark Nabou Jr., Texas A&M

>All-purpose: Ryan Niblett, Texas

Second-team defenseDL: David Stone, Oklahoma; Elijah Griffin, Georgia; Taylor Wein, Oklahoma; Quincy Rhodes Jr., Arkansas

>LB: Raylen Wilson, Georgia; Suntarine Perkins, Mississippi; Kip Lewis, Oklahoma

>DB: Kelley Jones, Mississippi State; DJ Pickett, LSU; Ty Benefield, LSU; Eli Bowen, Oklahoma; Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma

Second-team specialistsPK: Lucas Carneiro, Mississippi

>P: Grayson Miller, Oklahoma

>Return specialist: Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma

>Kickoff specialist: Lucas Carneiro, Mississippi

>Long snapper: Trey Dubuc, Texas

Third-team offenseQB: Gunner Stockton, Georgia

>RB: DeSean Bishiop, Tennessee; Hollywood Smothers, Texas

>WR: Ryan Wingo, Texas; Nyck Harbor, South Carolina

>TE: Willie Rodriguez, Kentucky

>OG/OT: David Sanders Jr., Tennessee; Patrick Kutas, Mississippi; Brandon Baker, Texas; Wendell Moe Jr., Tennessee

>C: Braelin Moore, LSU

>All-purpose: Jaden Baugh, Florida

Third-team defenseDL: Kam Franklin, Mississippi; DJ Hicks, Texas A&M; Gabe Harris, Georgia; Jayden Woods, Florida

>LB: Arion Carter, Tennessee; TJ Dottery, LSU; Yhonzae Pierre, Alabama

>DB: Keon Sabb, Alabama; Champ Anthony, Auburn; Khalil Barnes, Georgia; Jelani McDonald, Texas

Third-team specialistsPK: Alex McPherson, Auburn

>P: Ethan Pulliam, Mississippi State

>Return specialist: Vernell Brown III, Florida

>Kickoff specialist: Terry Bussey, Texas A&M

>Long snapper: Brett Le Blanc, Missouri