SEC football forecast has Missouri Tigers finishing closer to bottom than top in East
The Missouri Tigers are projected to finish closer to the bottom of the SEC East than the top.
The Tigers were picked to finish sixth in the seven-team division, ahead of only Vanderbilt, in the preseason football media poll released Friday. The Commodores, by the way, received a first-place vote.
Last year, Mizzou tied for fourth in the East with a 3-5 record, and in coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s first season, they finished third at 5-5.
The Tigers’ worst division finish was seventh in 2016. They were the division champions in 2013 and 2014.
Georgia was the runaway choice in the East. Alabama was an even bigger favorite in the West. Those teams met in last season’s SEC championship game, won by the Crimson Tide, and in the CFP National Championship Game with the Bulldogs getting revenge.
The Tigers had two players mentioned on the preseason all-conference teams: offensive lineman Javon Foster and kicker Harrison Mevis were named to the third team.
Here is the preseason poll with first-place votes in parentheses and total points
SEC EAST
1. Georgia (172) 1,254
2. Kentucky (4) 932
3. Tennessee (1) 929
4. Florida 712
5. South Carolina (3) 662
6. Missouri 383
7. Vanderbilt (1) 196
SEC WEST
1. Alabama (177) 1,262
2. Texas A&M (3) 986
3. Arkansas (1) 844
4. Ole Miss 675
5. LSU 591
6. Mississippi State 390
7. Auburn 338
Preseason All-SEC Teams
OFFENSE
First team
QB – Bryce Young, Alabama
RB - Tank Bigsby, Auburn
RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
WR - Kayshon Boutte, LSU
WR - Jermaine Burton, Alabama
TE - Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL - Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama
OL - Warren McClendon, Georgia
OL - O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
OL - Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
C - Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
Second team
QB – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
RB - Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
RB - Devon Achane, Texas A&M
WR - Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
WR - Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
TE - Cameron Latu, Alabama
OL - Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
OL - Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky
OL - Darnell Wright, Tennessee
OL - Javion Cohen, Alabama
C - Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
Third team
QB – Will Levis, Kentucky
RB - Zach Evans, Ole Miss
RB - Kenny McIntosh, Georgia
WR - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR - Josh Vann, South Carolina
TE - Jaheim Bell, South Carolina
OL - Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL - Tyler Steen, Alabama
OL - Javon Foster, Missouri
*OL - Jeremy James, Ole Miss
*OL – Kendall Randolph, Alabama
C - Cooper Mays, Tennessee
DEFENSE
First team
DL - Jalen Carter, Georgia
DL - BJ Ojulari, LSU
DL - Derick Hall, Auburn
DL - Byron Young, Tennessee
LB - Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
LB - Nolan Smith, Georgia
LB - Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama
DB - Jordan Battle, Alabama
DB - Kelee Ringo, Georgia
DB - Eli Ricks, Alabama
DB - Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
Second team
DL - Zacch Pickens, South Carolina
DL - D.J. Dale, Alabama
DL - Ali Gaye, LSU
DL - Colby Wooden, Auburn
LB - Bumper Pool, Arkansas
LB - Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB - Brenton Cox Jr., Florida
DB – Cam Smith, South Carolina
DB - Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
DB - Christopher Smith, Georgia
DB - Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
Third team
DL - Gervon Dexter, Florida
DL - Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
DL - Maason Smith, LSU
DL - McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
LB - Owen Pappoe, Auburn
LB - Ventrell Miller, Florida
LB - Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
DB - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
DB - Trey Dean III, Florida
DB - Trevon Flowers, Tennessee
DB - Malachi Moore, Alabama
SPECIALISTS
First team
P - Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
PK - Will Reichard, Alabama
RS - Kearis Jackson, Georgia
AP - Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Second team
P - Oscar Chapman, Auburn
PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP - Devon Achane, Texas A&M
Third team
P - Paxton Brooks, Tennessee
PK - Harrison Mevis, Missouri
RS - JoJo Earle, Alabama
AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
* tie in voting
