Media picks Vols third in SEC East, Florida to win it all

Four Vols named to All-SEC first team

By BY MIKE STRANGE, strangem@knoxnews.com

Originally published 10:54 a.m., July 25, 2008
Updated 11:33 a.m., July 25, 2008

HOOVER, Ala. — Florida will beat Auburn in the SEC championship game – if the voters got it right at SEC Football Media Days.

Media members projected Florida to win the league title with 36 of 70 first-place votes as Media Days concluded Friday.

Georgia was second with 18 votes, followed by Auburn with 13. LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss each got one vote.

Tennessee was picked to finish third in the East behind the Gators and Georgia.

Auburn was a solid choice over LSU in the West with Alabama third.

Four Vols were named to the media’s All-SEC First Team: guard Anthony Parker, running back Arian Foster, linebacker Rico McCoy and safety Eric Berry.

No UT players were picked on the All-SEC Second Team.

Media Preseason All-SEC team

OFFENSE

FIRST-TEAM

TE Cornelius Ingram Florida

OL Andre Smith Alabama

OL Michael Oher Ole Miss

OL Anthony Parker Tennessee

OL Herman Johnson LSU

C Jonathan Luigs Arkansas

WR Percy Harvin Florida

WR Kenny McKinley So. Carolina

QB Tim Tebow Florida

RB Knowshon Moreno Georgia

RB Arian Foster Tennessee

SECOND TEAM

TE Richard Dickson LSU

OL Ciron Black LSU

OL Tyronne Green Auburn

OL Lee Ziemba Auburn

OL Garry Williams Kentucky

C Antoine Caldwell Alabama

WR Mohamed Massaquoi Georgia

WR Demetrius Byrd LSU

QB Matthew Stafford Georgia

RB Anthony Dixon Mississippi State

RB Ben Tate Auburn

DEFENSE

FIRST TEAM

DL Greg Hardy Ole Miss

DL Tyson Jackson LSU

DL Sen ‘Derrick Marks Auburn

LB Brandon Spikes Florida

LB Rico McCoy Tennesseee

LB Jasper Brinkley South Carolina

LB Darry Beckwith LSU

LB Dannell Ellerbe Georgia

DB Derek Pegues Mississippi State

DB Eric Berry Tennessee

DB D.J. Moore Vanderbilt

DB Rashad Johnson Alabama

SECOND TEAM

DL Ricky Jean-Francois LSU

DL Antonio Coleman Aubunr

DL Jeremy Jarmon Kentucky

LB Tray Blackmon Auburn

LB Rolando McClain Alabama

LB Eric Norwood South Carolina

LB Jamar Chaney Mississippi State

DB Captain Munnerlyn South Carolina

DB Trevard Lindley Kentucky

DB Asher Allen Georgia

DB Jerraud Powers Auburn

SPECIAL TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

PK Colt David LSU

P Ryan Shoemaker Auburn

RS Brandon James Florida

SECOND TEAM

PK Wes Byrum Auburn

P Ryan Succop South Carolina

RS Javier Arenas Alabama

SEC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

SEC Champion — Florida (36), Georgia (18), Auburn (13), LSU (1), Tennessee (1), Ole Miss (1).

EASTERN DIVISION

1. Florida (45) 98

2. Georgia (23) 121

3. Tennessee (2) 222

4. South Carolina 266

5. Kentucky 356

6. Vanderbilt 407

WESTERN DIVISION

1. Auburn (48) 99

2. LSU (21) 120

3. Alabama 228

4. Mississippi State 299

5. Ole Miss (1) 338

6. Arkansas 386

More details as they develop online and in Saturday’s News Sentinel.