HOOVER, Ala. — LSU was picked to finish fourth in the SEC by the media at SEC Media Days on Thursday.
LSU received nine points in the voting. Auburn was picked to win the title with 96 points followed by Alabama (80) and Georgia (28).
For the first time in the 23-year history in the poll, media were divided on divisional champion and overall SEC champion as Alabama was picked to win the Western Division over Auburn.
Alabama received 92 first-place votes and 1,405 points. Auburn received 108 first-place votes and 1,362 points. The Crimson Tide won the Western Division vote due to receiving just three votes for fourth place or lower in the Western Division, while Auburn received 26 such votes. Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.
LSU was picked to finish third in the West, receiving 10 first-place votes and 870 points. LSU was followed by Arkansas (821), Ole Miss (732), Texas A&M (628) and Mississippi State (482).
Georgia was selected to win the SEC Eastern Division with 1,498 points, including 166 first-place votes. Tennessee was second with 1,231 points and 36 votes to win the division, while Missouri was third with 1,196 total points. The two-time defending East representative in the SEC Championship game also received 20 votes to win a third consecutive division title.
Only five times since 1992 has the SEC Media Days predicted champion has proceeded to win the SEC Championship, including Alabama last season.
The preseason All-SEC Team will be announced on Friday.
— Southeastern Conference staff
