Multiple Aggies Listed In All-SEC Preseason Team, Georgia Named Conference Title Favorites

The Bulldogs and the newcomer Longhorns were named as the favorites for the SEC Championship game in Atlanta.

Jul 18, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC Media Poll and preseason All-SEC teams were announced on Friday, and it should come as a surprise to nobody that Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs were ranked as the favorites to take the SEC Championship, followed by the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

However, that really doesn't help the Bulldogs a tremendous amount. Since 1992, the predicted champion has only followed through nine times in actually winning the title.

Another big storyline is this is the first season since 1991 where the Southeastern Conference does not have divisions. Instead, the participants in the SEC title game will be determined during the eight-game regular-season conference schedule as the teams with the two best overall SEC winning percentages.

Nov 11, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs cornerback Esaias Furdge (2) breaks up a pass intended for Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Micah Tease (13) during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

In a preseason All-SEC team that was dominated by the Georgia Bulldogs, which included QB Carson Beck and RB Trevor Etienne, three Texas A&M Aggies were also listed in the teams. Offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III was listed on the offensive third team, and defensive linemen Shemar Turner and Purdue transfer Nic Scourton were listed in the defensive second team.

In the predicted order of finish, Texas A&M was slotted in ninth behind SEC-newcomer Oklahoma.

Here is the full list of the predicted order of finish:

1) Georgia Bulldogs

2) Texas Longhorns

3) Alabama Crimson Tide

4) Ole Miss Rebels

5) LSU Tigers

6) Missouri Tigers

7) Tennessee Volunteers

8) Oklahoma Sooners

9) Texas A&M Aggies

10) Auburn Tigers

11) Kentucky Wildcats

12) Florida Gators

13) South Carolina Gamecocks

14) Arkansas Razorbacks

15) Mississippi State Bulldogs

16) Vanderbilt Commodores

The SEC Championship game has been the most watched conference championship nationally for 15 of the past 16 seasons, including 12 consecutively from 2008-2019. The 2023 game between Georgia and Alabama averaged 17.519 million viewers, up 61% from last year's game, and peaked with 22.350 million viewers. It was the most-watched Conference Championship Game on any network in five years.