Alabama overwhelming favorite by media to win SEC

Published Jul. 18, 2013 3:45 p.m. ET

foxsports

Alabama is the overwhelming favorite to repeat as Southeastern Conference champion.

In the preseason poll released Thursday, the Crimson Tide received 182 first-place votes out of a possible 243. Georgia was picked to win the Eastern Division and was the second leading vote-getter with 38. South Carolina received 18.

Alabama received 1,681 points to lead the Western Division, followed by Texas A&M (1,333), LSU (1,324), Mississippi (883), Auburn (579), Mississippi State (516) and Arkansas (488). Following Georgia (1,570) in the East are South Carolina (1,474), Florida (1,300), Vanderbilt (858), Tennessee (694), Missouri (577) and Kentucky (331).

The leading vote-getters on the All-SEC preseason team are Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley, who earned 231 out of 243 votes, followed by South Carolina defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney at 223. The poll is voted on by media covering the SEC.

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, who last season became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, earned just 119 out of 243 votes in a deep league for quarterbacks. Alabama's AJ McCarron received 67 votes, and Georgia's Aaron Murray got 52.

Alabama led the SEC with seven first-team selections, including four on offense and three on defense.