For most of the last 15 years, the SEC has been Alabama and either Georgia or LSU and then, mostly, everyone else.
It’s no surprise, then, the Crimson Tide and defending champion Bulldogs were picked as the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the SEC heading into this football season by the league’s sports information directors. Texas A&M, which has established itself as an upper-tier SEC team was picked third.
Then, in fourth, the highest projection in a decade, was Arkansas. The Razorbacks picked up five votes for fourth, four for fifth, three for sixth and one for eighth. That point total five more than Kentucky, the fifth-place team, received as the Wildcats were tabbed third by one SID, fourth by four, fifth by two, sixth by three and then received one vote each for seventh, eighth and ninth.
Arkansas’ slotting would place them third in the SEC West, where LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn and Mississippi State were picked in that order.
The Razorbacks had their best season since 2011 last year, finishing 9-4 with a win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl. They kick off coach Sam Pittman’s third season September 3 at home against Cincinnati.
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