Alabama top choice to win conference
Published 4:25 am Friday, September 25, 2020
Scooter Hobbs
It comes with the annual disclaimer that the media has predicted the eventual Southeastern Conference champion only seven times since 1992.
But the media, few if any of which saw LSU’s dominant national championship run coming last year, has forecast that order will be restored this season and Alabama will be the 2020 SEC champion.
Regardless of how it ends, due to the coronavrius pandemic this delayed season will be far different — a shortened 10-game schedule feauring nothing but conference games leading up the title game in Atlanta on Dec. 19.
The poll is normally conducted at SEC Media Days, but with that event canceled due to the pandemic, it was done online this year with far fewer media than usual taking part.
The Crimson Tide was the overwhelming choice to win it all, picking up 86 of the possible 96 votes to come out as the Western Division champion and 77 votes to go on and win the title game.
Florida was a somewhat surprising choice to dethrone Georgia and win the East championship, although the Bulldogs got more votes to win the overall title.
LSU was picked to finish second in the West with eight first-place votes and 489 overall points to edge third-place Auburn, which had 488 points but no first-place votes.
Texas A&M, the only other team in the West to get first-place votes with two, finished fourth in the West poll.
LSU got seven votes to win the overall title to tie with Georgia as the second trendiest pick.
Florida was the only other school as the pick to win it all with five first-place votes.
Alabama led the pack in All-SEC selections with 13, including eight on the first team.
LSU had only two first-team picks, both in the secondary, but was second with eight overall picks.
That was mostly due to sophomore cornerback Derek Stingley, who made three appearances.
He was first-team at cornerback, second team as a kick returner and third team as the all-purpose player.
The Tigers’ other first-teamer was safety Jacoby Stevens.
As an oddity, LSU had two players on the list who won’t play their first SEC game until Saturday when the Tigers’ host Mississippi State.
Highly touted true freshman Arik Gilber was the second-team selection at tight end.
Outside linebacker Jabril Cox, a graduate transfer to LSU after making All-American twice while winning three Football Championship Subdivision national titles at North Dakota State, was picked on the second team defense.
LSU’s other picks on offense were wide receiver Terrace Marshall and guard Ed Ingram, both on the second team, while tackle Austin Deculus was on the third team.
The Tigers other selection was defensive tackle Glen Logan on the third team.
In addition to Stingley, on special teams the Tigers had the second team placekicker in Cade York and the third-team punter with Lake Charles native Zach Von Rosenberg.
Florida’s Kyle Trask was the first-team quarterback, with Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond making second team.
Alabama’s Mac Jones was the third-teamer.
Associated Press
