The Auburn Tigers were picked to finish last in the SEC West in the media days poll

Auburn football was not respected by the SEC media.

In another year when Alabama and Georgia were picked to play in the SEC Championship by the media attending SEC Media Days, the Auburn Tigers were picked to finish last in the SEC West. 

Alabama received an overwhelming 158 votes to be crowned SEC Champion on December 3 in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, while Georgia was second with 18 votes.

The Bulldogs were selected to win the SEC Eastern Division with 1254 points, including 172 first-place votes, while Kentucky was second with 932 points and four votes to win the division. Tennessee was third with 929 points. Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.

Alabama was picked to win the SEC Western Division with 1262 total points, followed by Texas A&M with 968 and Arkansas with 844. Alabama received 177, all but four, first-place votes in the SEC West.

Only nine times since 1992 has the predicted champion prior to the season at SEC Media Days proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game, which includes the last two consecutive seasons.

The predicted order of finish of the SEC West

1. Alabama 

2. Texas A&M

3. Arkansas

4. Ole Miss

5. LSU

6. Mississippi State

7. Auburn

The predicted order of finish of the SEC East

1. Georgia

2. Kentucky

3. Tennessee

4. Florida

5. South Carolina

6. Missouri 

7. Vanderbilt 

2022 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM

OFFENSE

First-Team

QB – Bryce Young, Alabama

RB - Tank Bigsby, Auburn

RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

WR - Kayshon Boutte, LSU

WR - Jermaine Burton, Alabama

TE - Brock Bowers, Georgia

OL - Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama

OL - Warren McClendon, Georgia

OL - O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida

OL - Nick Broeker, Ole Miss

C - Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas

Second-Team

QB – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

RB - Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky

RB - Devon Achane, Texas A&M

WR - Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

WR - Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss

TE - Cameron Latu, Alabama

OL - Layden Robinson, Texas A&M

OL - Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky

OL - Darnell Wright, Tennessee

OL - Javion Cohen, Alabama

C - Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

Third-Team

QB – Will Levis, Kentucky

RB - Zach Evans, Ole Miss

RB - Kenny McIntosh, Georgia

WR - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

WR - Josh Vann, South Carolina

TE - Jaheim Bell, South Carolina

OL - Brady Latham, Arkansas

OL - Tyler Steen, Alabama

OL - Javon Foster, Missouri

*OL - Jeremy James, Ole Miss

*OL – Kendall Randolph, Alabama

C - Cooper Mays, Tennessee

DEFENSE

First-Team

DL - Jalen Carter, Georgia

DL - BJ Ojulari, LSU

DL - Derick Hall, Auburn

DL - Byron Young, Tennessee

LB - Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

LB - Nolan Smith, Georgia

LB - Henry To'oTo'o, Alabama

DB - Jordan Battle, Alabama

DB - Kelee Ringo, Georgia

DB - Eli Ricks, Alabama

DB - Jalen Catalon, Arkansas

Second-Team

DL - Zacch Pickens, South Carolina

DL - D.J. Dale, Alabama

DL - Ali Gaye, LSU

DL - Colby Wooden, Auburn

LB - Bumper Pool, Arkansas

LB - Dallas Turner, Alabama

LB - Brenton Cox Jr., Florida

DB – Cam Smith, South Carolina

DB - Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

DB - Christopher Smith, Georgia

DB - Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

Third-Team

DL - Gervon Dexter, Florida

DL - Justin Eboigbe, Alabama

DL - Maason Smith, LSU

DL - McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M

LB - Owen Pappoe, Auburn

LB - Ventrell Miller, Florida

LB - Jeremy Banks, Tennessee

DB - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

DB - Trey Dean III, Florida

DB - Trevon Flowers, Tennessee

DB - Malachi Moore, Alabama

SPECIALISTS

First-Team

P - Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M

PK - Will Reichard, Alabama

RS - Kearis Jackson, Georgia

AP - Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Second-Team

P - Oscar Chapman, Auburn

PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn

RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

AP - Devon Achane, Texas A&M

Third-Team

P - Paxton Brooks, Tennessee

PK - Harrison Mevis, Missouri

RS - JoJo Earle, Alabama

AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M