The SEC preseason poll, voted on by media members who assembled for SEC Media Days in Dallas, will be released Friday.
Georgia will likely be picked to finish first, and Vanderbilt last, but there are many fluid tiers in between.
Where will the Sooners be picked to finish?
Here’s how I filled out my ballot:
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1. Georgia
Georgia jockeyed back and forth with Alabama as the preeminent power in the SEC. With Nick Saban gone, Kirby Smart is the king of the league until proven otherwise. The Bulldogs have gone undefeated (24-0) in SEC regular season games the past three seasons. Carson Beck is one of the best quarterbacks in the country and you know the Bulldogs are going to be dominant defensively.
Ole Miss is loaded on offense. Star quarterback Jaxson Dart is back, as are top receivers Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins, who ranked fifth and 12th in the SEC last season in receiving yards. Lane Kiffin and his staff recruited the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country, according to 247Sports. One of those transfers, Walter Nolen from Texas A&M, was the No. 1 ranked defensive lineman transfer in the country, per 247Sports. The Rebels also added edge rusher Princely Umanmielen from Florida. Ole Miss has the fifth-ranked defensive line in the country, according to Pro Football Focus.
3. Texas
The Longhorns are rolling into the SEC with big-time momentum. Pro Football Focus ranks Texas as the No. 2 team in the country behind Georgia. Texas is returning four of its five starting offensive linemen from last season to protect veteran quarterback Quinn Ewers. Texas has question marks at receiver and in the secondary, but its strength in the trenches should position the Longhorns to compete for an SEC title and another College Football Playoff berth.
4. Alabama
Where to slot the Crimson Tide in the post-Saban era? Fourth feels closer to the floor than the ceiling for Alabama. New coach Kalen DeBoer is a quarterback whisperer, but going from an uber accurate passer in Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. to Alabama’s Jalen Milroe will be a big adjustment. Milroe has a cannon, but his legs are his biggest weapon. Former South Alabama coach Kane Wommack will lead a new-look Alabama defense.
The Tigers have a pair of offensive tackles in Will Campbell and Emory Jones Jr. who are both projected as 2025 first-round NFL Draft picks. Edge rusher Harold Perkins Jr., another potential first-rounder, is the anchor of an LSU defense that has to be better than it was last season.
Missouri’s 11-2 season came out of nowhere. Safe to say Eli Drinkwitz is off the hot seat. Brady Cook is an underrated quarterback who’s surrounded by playmakers, none more electric than wide receiver Luther Burden III.
Potent offense and porous defense. That’s the book, at least the preseason version, on Tennessee. If quarterback Nico Iamaleava emerges as a Heisman candidate, like some believe, watch out for the Vols.
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A new offensive coordinator(s), new quarterback and new offensive line puts OU on unstable ground as it enters the SEC. If Dillon Gabriel was back, OU might be in the top five. Still, if Jackson Arnold is the real deal, OU’s offense will be just fine. And if the offense doesn’t hold OU back, its defense is good enough to make the Sooners a dark horse contender.
9. Texas A&M
After doing more with less at Duke, it’ll be interesting to see what new coach Mike Elko can do at talent-rich Texas A&M. The cupboard isn’t bare. Collin Klein, the former Kansas State quarterback, will coordinate an Aggies offense led by quarterback Conner Weigman. With Elko coaching up the defense, Texas A&M could be sneaky good.
10. Florida
Billy Napier is 11-14 (6-10 SEC) at Florida. Can he save his job in Year 3? The Gators should have a good offense with Graham Mertz quarterbacking behind a strong offensive line. Florida’s defense ranked 11th in the SEC last season and it’s unclear if the Gators got better on that side of the ball.
Much hinges on presumptive quarterback Brock Vandagriff. Remember him? The former OU commit was a multi-year backup at Georgia. Kentucky’s defense should be good enough to keep the Wildcats in games even if its offense is average to below average. Mark Stoops has led UK to eight straight bowl games.
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Shane Beamer has one of the toughest jobs in the conference. South Carolina is 10-14 in the SEC under Beamer, which is about as good as you could expect. The Gamecocks are unproven at quarterback with LaNorris Sellers likely to get the job.
13. Auburn
Hugh Freeze went 6-7 (3-5 SEC) in his first year at Auburn. The Tigers look to be in store for a similar year. Auburn has weapons on offense, but they’ll only go as far as quarterback Payton Thorne can take them. Thorne had a 16 to 10 touchdown to interception ratio last season.
14. Mississippi State
Former OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby is entering Year 1 of what figures to be a rebuilding process. Mississippi State scored…
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