SEC Media Days are in the books, and now the guessing game shifts to the media’s preseason SEC pecking order.
On Friday, the league will unveil its preseason All-SEC teams and the predicted order of finish, with the attending media casting the votes. That forecast never comes with a guarantee - the media has correctly picked the eventual champion only eight times since 2000 - and last year was another reminder of how shaky those calls can be. Texas was the preseason favorite, then finished tied for fifth.
This time around, Texas is positioned to draw plenty of support again with Arch Manning back for another season. Georgia will have a strong case too, coming off back-to-back SEC titles and bringing back quarterback Gunner Stockton along with several key defensive contributors.
Still, there are reasons some voters may hesitate to put Georgia on top for a third straight year. Questions about the Bulldogs’ pass rush and wide receiver group could be enough to keep them from making history as the first team to win three consecutive SEC championships since Alabama did it from 2014 through 2016.
Stockton said the team’s offseason has gone well.
“Last year, definitely didn’t end up the way we wanted it, but we came off the SEC win in the championship, but definitely didn’t end up where we wanted,” Stockton said. “But we had a great offseason so far.
We put a lot of sweat in the bucket, and we’ve connected a lot, and I’m excited. We’ve had a great summer so far.”
DawgNation’s staff ballots show just how tight the top of the league could be. Connor Riley had Georgia first, followed by LSU, Oklahoma, Texas and Alabama.
Cody Chaffins put Texas at No. 1, with Georgia second and Texas A&M third. Hunter DeLauder went with Georgia on top, then Texas A&M and Texas.
Kaylee Mansell also backed Georgia first, with Texas second and Oklahoma third. Mike Griffith picked Texas to win the league, with Georgia second and Texas A&M third.
The rest of the conference, in the eyes of the DawgNation crew, filled out with LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Arkansas in varying orders.
Georgia opens the 2026 season on Sept. 5 against Tennessee State, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Jon Sumrall Just Gave Georgia Fans A Familiar Reason To Laugh
Floridas new coach is already trying to stir the pot in a rivalry that has long tilted hard in Georgias favor. Jon Sumrall made it clear where his attention is headed, putting Georgia at the center of his early message and suggesting the Gators need to treat the matchup with more urgency if they want the series to feel competitive again.
For Georgia fans, it is the kind of declaration that usually lands with a smile, because talk has not changed the balance of this rivalry in years. Sumrall also hinted that past Florida coaches may not have approached Georgia with enough seriousness, but the Bulldogs have heard versions of this before and will be waiting for the response on the field before treating any of it as more than offseason noise. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Murray Sees One Clear Hurdle For Gunner Stockton
Gunner Stocktons first season as Georgias full-time starter gave the Bulldogs plenty to build on, from an 11-1 regular season to an SEC championship run. Even with the playoff ending short of the finish Georgia wanted, the bigger picture around Stockton is still about growth, and former Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray sees one area that could help the next step come quickly.
Murray pointed to Stocktons work throwing between the hashes, especially when the ball is going to tight ends, as the clear hurdle to clear. Georgia has the kind of tight end room that can help make that happen, and if Stockton sharpens that part of his game, it could go a long way toward pushing the Bulldogs back into national title contention while also strengthening his own profile moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans May Be Blaming Gunner Stockton For The Wrong Problem
Gunner Stocktons deep-ball numbers from Georgias 2025 season have become an easy target for fans looking for a culprit, but the picture is a little messier than a simple quarterback verdict. On throws traveling more than 20 yards in the air, Stockton finished 17-for-53, a completion rate that looks rough on the surface and even rougher when stacked against the sports best passers.
Georgias receivers did him few favors. The Bulldogs had six drops on those deep throws, and the issues went beyond a few missed catches, with route-running and pass protection also part of the conversation. Mike Bobos play-calling will always draw scrutiny in Athens, but the deeper question for 2026 is whether a more experienced receiver group and cleaner execution can turn Stocktons downfield work into a real strength. [Read more 🡒]