Alabama Not Predicted as Preseason SEC Champion for First Time Since 2015

Georgia gets the preseason nod for conference champion, while Alabama is selected to finish first in the SEC West.

There's a new king in SEC football. 

After winning back-to-back national titles, the media has predicted Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs to win the 2023 Southeastern Conference title. It marks the first time since 2015 that Alabama has not been tabbed as the preseason favorite by the media. 

However, the Crimson Tide was picked to finish first in the SEC West ahead of LSU and Texas A&M. 

Alabama has been selected as the preseason conference champion in 11 of the last 13 seasons, winning seven SEC titles during that stretch and eight overall since Nick Saban arrived as the head coach in Tuscaloosa. 

Only nine times since 1992 has the predicted champion prior to the season at SEC Media Days proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game. Alabama has won five of those nine, all since 2014. 

Last season, Alabama was tied with LSU atop the SEC West standings, but the Tigers held the head-to-head advantage and went on to face Georgia in the SEC championship game. 

Crimson Tide offensive lineman JC Latham was asked Wednesday at SEC Media Days if seeing Georgia win the last two national championships drives him and his teammates. 

"Yeah, it definitely motivates me," Latham said. "I've watched that game time and time again. I know our guys, we can compete with them. Just seeing them win, just understands, like, I'm not disrespecting them at all. I think they deserved to win. They've worked really hard. I know our guys deserve to have that platform as well. Just seeing them take the stage and take the opportunity that we knew was up for grabs, that we could have taken, just fuel to the fire."

2023 SEC Football Preseason Media Poll

Eastern Division

1. Georgia (265)- 2011 points

2. Tennessee (14)- 1682 points

3. South Carolina (3)- 1254

4. Kentucky (1)- 1204

5. Florida- 911

6. Missouri- 658

7. Vanderbilt (8)- 428

Western Division

1. Alabama (165)- 1899

2. LSU (117)- 1838

3. Texas A&M (1)- 1144

4. Ole Miss- 1128

5. Arkansas (3)- 958

6. Auburn (4)- 685

7. Mississippi State (1)- 496

SEC Champion

Georgia 181

Alabama 62

LSU 31

Tennessee 5

Vanderbilt 5 

Arkansas 2

Auburn 2 

Texas A&M 1 

Mississippi State 1

South Carolina 1

See also: Alabama Lands 16 on Preseason All-SEC Teams