According to a preseason poll conducted during SEC Football Media Days, Georgia is the predicted winner of the 2023 SEC Championship. They received 181 votes to clinch the title, while Alabama came in second with 62 votes. Ten of the 14 schools in the SEC picked up first-place votes, including Texas A&M, South Carolina, and Mississippi State with one each. Missouri, Ole Miss, Kentucky, and Florida did not receive a championship vote.
In the SEC Eastern Division, Georgia was heavily favored, earning 2011 points, including 265 first-place votes. Tennessee followed in second place with 1682 points and 14 votes, while South Carolina secured the third spot with 1254 points. Missouri, with 658 points, was picked sixth in the division, behind Florida and ahead of only Vanderbilt, although the Commodores did receive eight first-place votes. MU and Florida were the only SEC East teams without a first-place tally.
For the SEC Western Division, Alabama was picked to win with 1899 total points, narrowly edging out LSU with 1838 points. Texas A&M ranked third with 1144 points.
The preseason poll has its share of uncertainty, as the predicted champion at SEC Media Days has won the SEC Championship Game only nine times since 1992 (31 years).
The 2023 Preseason Media Days All-SEC Team showcases some of the top players in the conference. The first-team offense includes LSU’s QB Jayden Daniels, Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins, Arkansas RB Raheim Sanders, LSU WR Malik Nabers, Georgia WR Ladd McConkey, and Georgia TE Brock Bowers, among others.
On the defensive side, the first-team includes LSU DL Mekhi Wingo, Georgia DL Mykel Williams, Alabama LB Dallas Turner, Alabama DB Kool-Aid McKinstry, and other standout players.
In the specialist category, players like South Carolina’s P Kai Kroeger and Alabama’s PK Will Reichard earned first-team honors.
The SEC Championship Game is scheduled to take place on December 2 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
SEC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
First place votes in ()
EASTERN DIVISION
SCHOOL POINTS
Georgia (265) 2011
Tennessee (14) 1682
South Carolina (3) 1254
Kentucky (1) 1204
Florida 911
Missouri 658
Vanderbilt (8) 428
WESTERN DIVISION
SCHOOL POINTS
Alabama (165) 1899
LSU (117) 1838
Texas A&M (1) 1144
Ole Miss 1128
Arkansas (3) 958
Auburn (4) 685
Mississippi State (1) 496
SEC CHAMPION
SCHOOL POINTS
Georgia 181
Alabama 62
LSU 31
Tennessee 5
Vanderbilt 5
Arkansas 2
Auburn 2
Texas A&M 1
Mississippi State 1
South Carolina 1 2023
PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First-Team
QB – Jayden Daniels, LSU
RB – Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
RB – Raheim Sanders, Arkansas
WR – Malik Nabers, LSU
WR – Ladd McConkey, Georgia
TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL – JC Latham, Alabama
OL – Amarius Mims, Georgia
OL – Tate Ratledge, Georgia
OL – Will Campbell, LSU
C – Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
Second-Team
QB – KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
RB – Jase McClellan, Alabama
RB – Kendall Milton, Georgia
WR – Antwane Wells, South Carolina
*WR – Bru McCoy, Tennessee
*WR – Ja’Corey Brooks, Alabama
TE – Mason Taylor, LSU
OL – Tyler Booker, Alabama
OL – Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL – Javon Foster, Missouri
OL – Xavier Truss, Georgia
C – Seth McLaughlin, Alabama
Third-Team
*QB – Joe Milton III, Tennessee
*QB – Will Rogers, Mississippi State
RB – Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
RB – Trevor Etienne, Florida
WR – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR – Jermaine Burton, Alabama
TE – Trey Knox, South Carolina
OL – Emery Jones, LSU
OL – Eli Cox, Kentucky
OL – Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee
OL – Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
C – Cooper Mays, Tennessee
DEFENSE
First-Team
DL – Mekhi Wingo, LSU
DL – Mykel Williams, Georgia
DL – Maason Smith, LSU
DL – Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
LB – Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB – Harold Perkins, LSU
LB – Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
DB – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
DB – Malaki Starks, Georgia
DB – Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
DB – Javon Bullard, Georgia
Second-Team
DL – Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
DL – McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
DL – Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
DL – Deone Walker, Kentucky
LB – Smael Mondon, Georgia
LB – Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
LB – Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri
DB – Malachi Moore, Alabama
DB – Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
DB – Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
DB – Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
Third-Team
DL – Princely Umanmielen, Florida
DL – Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
DL – Tim Smith, Alabama
DL – Darius Robinson, Missouri
LB – Chris Braswell, Alabama
LB – Jalon Walker, Georgia
LB – JJ Weaver, Kentucky
DB – Major Burns, LSU
DB – D.J. James, Auburn
DB – Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
DB – Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P – Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
PK – Will Reichard, Alabama
LS – Kneeland Hibbett, Alabama
KS – Brian Battie, Auburn
RS – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
AP – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
Second-Team
P – Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
PK – Harrison Mevis, Missouri
LS – Slade Roy, LSU
KS – Barion Brown, Kentucky
RS – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP – Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State
Third-Team
P – Oscar Chapman, Auburn
PK – Alex McPherson, Auburn
LS – William Mote, Georgia
KS – Mitch Jeter, South Carolina
RS – Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State
AP – Dakereon Joyner, South Carolina
* – Indicates a tie
