Media Picks Gamecocks to Win the East
July 17, 2014
The University of South Carolina football squad has been tabbed as favorites to win the 2014 Eastern Division title, according to the media attending the annual SEC Media Days in Birmingham.
The Gamecocks received 1,895 points to outdistance Georgia (1,777) for the top spot in the East. Florida (1,362) and Missouri (1,263) were picked third and fourth respectively, while Tennessee (893), Vanderbilt (619) and Kentucky (395) round out the Eastern Division.
The Gamecocks placed three players, junior running back Mike Davis and senior offensive linemen A.J.Cann and Corey Robinson, on the preseason All-SEC second-team unit. Senior safety Brison Williams was named to the third-team squad.
Alabama, which had the most first-team selections with nine, is favored to win the Western Division, tallying 1,915 points, ahead of defending SEC champion Auburn (1,735) and LSU (1,453). Ole Miss (1,069), Mississippi State (890), Texas A&M (791) and Arkansas (351) round out the West.
Alabama is also the prohibitive favorite to capture the SEC championship. The Crimson Tide picked up 154 votes, more than double that of Auburn (75). South Carolina (32) was third, just ahead of Georgia (19). LSU (9), Ole Miss (2), Arkansas (1) and Mississippi State (1) also received votes.
The 293 voters is an all-time high for SEC Media Days. The previous high was 243 in 2013.
2014 PRE-SEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
(Total points earned in parenthesis)
OFFENSE
First-Team
QB Nick Marshall, Auburn (241)
RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama (281)
RB Todd Gurley, Georgia (280)
WR Amari Cooper, Alabama (282)
WR Sammie Coates, Auburn (207)
TE O.J. Howard, Alabama (188)
OL La’el Collins, LSU (231)
OL Arie Kouandjio, Alabama (188)
OL Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss (183)
OL Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M (174)
C Reese Dismukes, Auburn (226)
Second-Team
QB Dak Prescott, Mississippi State (118)
RB Mike Davis, South Carolina (240)
RB Alex Collins, Arkansas (126)
WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss (182)
WR Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia (71)
TE C.J. Uzomah, Auburn (141)
OL A.J. Cann, South Carolina (166)
OL Vadal Alexander, LSU (112)
OL Alex Kozan, Auburn (112)
OL Corey Robinson, South Carolina (107)
C Ryan Kelly, Alabama (126)
Third-Team
QB Bo Wallace, Ole Miss (94)
RB Corey Grant, Auburn (52)
RB Keith Marshall, Georgia (44)
WR Jameon Lewis, Mississippi State (67)
WR Marquez North, Tennessee (66)
TE Hunter Henry, Arkansas (72)
OL Austin Shepherd, Alabama (106)
OL Chad Slade, Auburn (101)
OL John Theus, Georgia (96)
OL Chaz Green, Florida (94)
C Evan Boehm, Missouri (77)
DEFENSE
First-Team
DL Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss (239)
DL Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida (212)
DL A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama (208)
DL Gabe Wright, Auburn (192)
LB Trey DePriest, Alabama (253)
LB A.J. Johnson, Tennessee (186)
LB Ramik Wilson, Georgia (147)
DB Landon Collins, Alabama (274)
DB Vernon Hargreaves, III, Florida (243)
DB Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss (210)
DB Deshazor Everett, Texas A&M (183)
Second-Team
DL Trey Flowers, Arkansas (181)
DL Chris Jones, Mississippi State (150)
DL Alvin “Bud” Dupree, Kentucky (134)
DL Markus Golden, Missouri (125)
LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State (143)
LB Jordan Jenkins, Georgia (137)
LB Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole Miss (116)
DB Robenson Therezie, Auburn (144)
DB Tre’Davious White, LSU (141)
DB Damian Swann, Georgia (127)
DB Tony Conner, Ole Miss (116)
Third-Team
DL Ray Drew, Georgia (102)
DL Montravius Adams, Auburn (94)
DL Carl Lawson, Auburn (87)
DL Jermauria Rasco, LSU (79)
LB Kwon Alexander, LSU (112)
LB Cassanova McKinzy, Auburn (82)
LB Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss (76)
DB Jon Mincy, Auburn (99)
DB Corey Thompson, LSU (86)
DB Rashard Robinson, LSU (84)
DB Brison Williams, South Carolina (81)
SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P Drew Kaser, Texas A&M (221)
PK Marshall Morgan, Georgia (224)
RS Christion Jones, Alabama (262)
AP Christion Jones, Alabama (130)
Second-Team
P Sam Irwin-Hill, Arkansas (136)
PK Colby Delahoussaye, LSU (142)
RS Andre Debose, Florida (97)
AP Terrence Magee, LSU (111)
Third-Team
P Jamie Keehn, LSU (81)
PK Andrew Baggett, Missouri (103)
RS Marcus Murphy, Missouri (72)
AP Trey Williams, Texas A&M (89)
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
SEC CHAMPION
School Points
Alabama 154
Auburn 75
South Carolina 32
Georgia 19
LSU 9
Ole Miss 2
Arkansas 1
Mississippi State 1
EASTERN DIVISION
School Points
South Carolina 1895
Georgia 1777
Florida 1362
Missouri 1263
Tennessee 893
Vanderbilt 619
Kentucky 395
WESTERN DIVISION
School Points
Alabama 1915
Auburn 1735
LSU 1453
Ole Miss 1069
Mississippi State 890
Texas A&M 791
Arkansas 351
