Three Gamecocks Named to Media’s Preseason All-SEC Teams
Carolina Picked to Finish Fifth in SEC East
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Three University of South Carolina players appear on the 2020 Preseason All-SEC teams as selected by the media, the Southeastern Conference office announced on Wednesday.
The Gamecocks were represented by Sadarius Hutcherson and Israel Mukuamu on the second team unit, while Aaron Sterling was named to the third-team squad.
Hutcherson, a 6-4, 320-pound fifth-year senior offensive lineman from Huntingdon, Tenn., is the most experienced player on the roster, having appeared in 35 games, including 29 starts. A returning starter at left tackle, Hutcherson, who is on the preseason Outland Trophy Watch List, is slated to be the Gamecocks’ starter at left guard, a position he has played extensively in his career.
Mukuamu, a 6-4, 205-pound defensive back from Bossier City, La., was an AP second-team All-SEC selection a year ago. He led the team with four interceptions, including three in the upset win over third-ranked Georgia. A starter in 14-consecutive games, Mukuamu was named to the 2020 Lott IMPACT Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch lists.
Sterling, a 6-1, 245-pound senior defensive end from Atlanta, is coming off his best season as a Gamecock. He registered 40 tackles in 2019, including a team-high 10.0 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks, tying for 10th in the SEC. Over the last three seasons he has appeared in 33 games, making 15 starts, with 16.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks.
The Gamecocks were tabbed to finish fifth in the SEC East, according to the media’s preseason poll. Alabama is the prohibitive favorite to win the SEC title, appearing on 77 of the 96 ballots. Florida narrowly edged out Georgia as the team to beat in the East. Only seven times since 1992 has the predicted champion prior to the season proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game.
The Gamecocks will open the 2020 season on Saturday, Sept. 26, when they host the Tennessee Volunteers at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. Game time is set for 7:30 pm ET and the contest will be televised on SEC Network.
SEC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
First place votes in ()
EASTERN DIVISION
1. Florida (53) – 624
2. Georgia (43) – 613
3. Tennessee – 434
4. Kentucky – 405
5. South Carolina – 287
6. Missouri – 224
7. Vanderbilt – 101
WESTERN DIVISION
1. Alabama (86) – 660
2. LSU (8) – 489
3. Auburn – 488
4. Texas A&M (2) – 454
T5. Ole Miss – 238
T5. Mississippi State – 238
7. Arkansas – 121
SEC CHAMPION
1. Alabama – 77
T2. Georgia – 7
T2. LSU – 7
4. Florida – 5
2020 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First Team
QB – Kyle Trask, Florida
RB – Najee Harris, Alabama
RB – Kylin Hill, Mississippi State
WR – DeVonta Smith, Alabama
WR – Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
TE – Kyle Pitts, Florida
OL – Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
OL – Trey Smith, Tennessee
OL – Landon Dickerson, Alabama
OL – Landon Young, Kentucky
C – Drake Jackson, Kentucky
Second Team
QB – Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
RB – Rakeem Boyd, Arkansas
RB – Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
WR – George Pickens, Georgia
WR – Terrace Marshall, LSU
TE – Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
OL – Deonte Brown, Alabama
OL – Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
OL – Sadarius Hutcherson, South Carolina
OL – Ed Ingram, LSU
C – Trey Hill, Georgia
Third Team
QB – Mac Jones, Alabama
RB – Zamir White, Georgia
RB – Larry Rountree, Missouri
WR – Seth Williams, Auburn
WR – Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
TE – Arik Gilbert, LSU
OL – Austin Deculus, LSU
OL – Brodarious Hamm, Auburn
OL – Evan Neal, Alabama
OL – Wanya Morris, Tennessee
C – Landon Dickerson, Alabama
DEFENSE
First Team
DL – Big Kat Bryant, Auburn
DL – LaBryan Ray, Alabama
DL – Jordan Davis, Georgia
DL – Malik Herring, Georgia
LB – Dylan Moses, Alabama
LB – K.J. Britt, Auburn
LB – Nick Bolton, Missouri
DB – Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
DB – Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
DB – Richard LeCounte, Georgia
DB – Jacoby Stevens, LSU
Second Team
DL – Bobby Brown, Texas A&M
DL – Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt
DL – Kobie Whiteside, Missouri
DL – Zachary Carter, Florida
LB – Henry To’o To’o, Tennessee
LB – Monty Rice, Georgia
LB – Jabril Cox, LSU
DB – Kaiir Elam, Florida
DB – Eric Stokes, Georgia
DB – Marco Wilson, Florida
DB – Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina
Third Team
DL – Aaron Sterling, South Carolina
DL – Glen Logan, LSU
DL – Josh Paschal, Kentucky
DL – DJ Dale, Alabama
LB – Ventrell Miller, Florida
LB – Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
LB – Boogie Watson, Kentucky
DB – Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
DB – Smoke Monday, Auburn
DB – Tyree Gillespie, Missouri
DB – Christian Tutt, Auburn*
DB – Bryce Thompson, Tennessee*
SPECIALISTS
First Team
P – Max Duffy, Kentucky
PK – Brent Cimaglia, Tennessee
RS – Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
AP – Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second Team
P – Jake Camarda, Georgia
PK – Cade York, LSU
RS – Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
AP – Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
Third Team
P – Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU
PK – Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS – Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
AP – Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
* – Indicates a tie
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