2026 SEC Media Poll Sends a Clear Message

Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck

2026 SEC Media Poll Sends a Clear Message

Originally posted on EasySportz | By Landon Kardian | Last updated Jul 24, 2026 6:36 PM ET

The SEC media has spoken, and there appears to be a clear favorite entering the 2026 college football season.

Georgia was picked to finish first in the conference’s preseason media poll, collecting 88 SEC Championship Game votes —well ahead of second-place Texas, which received 57. The gap between the Bulldogs and the rest of the conference underscores just how much confidence voters have in Kirby Smart’s program heading into the fall.

While Georgia and Texas separated themselves at the top, the race behind them looks far more competitive. Ole Miss was projected to finish third, followed by Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma. Tennessee, Florida, Missouri and South Carolina rounded out the top 11, with Auburn slotted just outside the upper tier.

2026 SEC Football Preseason Media Predicted Order Of Finish

1. UGA (88)
2. Texas (57)
3. Ole Miss (6)
4. A&M (5)
5. LSU (2)
6. Bama (3)
7. OU (2)
8. Tennessee
9. Florida
10. Mizzou
11. South Carolina
12. Auburn
13. Vandy
14. UK (1)
15. State
16. Arkansas

*() = Championship Vote
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) July 24, 2026

The poll also highlighted how little separation exists in the middle of the conference. LSU (two championship votes), Alabama (three), Oklahoma (two), Texas A&M (five), Ole Miss (six) and even Kentucky (one) all received at least one vote to reach the SEC Championship Game alongside Georgia and Texas, showing that voters believe multiple teams have a realistic path if things break their way.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway, however, is Georgia’s commanding lead. The Bulldogs return one of the nation’s most talented rosters and are once again expected to compete for both an SEC title and a College Football Playoff berth. After winning back to back SEC championships, Kirby Smart’s team enters 2026 with the target squarely on its back.

Texas, meanwhile, remains the biggest challenger. The Longhorns earned the second-most championship votes and are expected to once again be among the nation’s elite with another very talented roster under Steve Sarkisian.

Further down the standings, Florida at No. 9 and Auburn at No. 12 could emerge as teams capable of outperforming expectations, while Arkansas and Mississippi State were projected to finish at the bottom of the league.

Preseason polls rarely tell the full story, but they offer a snapshot of expectations entering the year. In 2026, those expectations are clear: Georgia is the team to beat, Texas is viewed as its biggest threat, and the battle for the remaining spots near the top of the SEC could be one of the most competitive races in college football.

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This article first appeared on EasySportz and was syndicated with permission.

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