Running back Ray Davis and his new UK teammates might be motivated by being picked fourth in the SEC East. (UK Athletics Photo)
The good news is that Kentucky did get one vote to win the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division this season.
The bad news is that two-time defending national champion Georgia got 265 of the 283 votes cast at SEC Media Days to once again win the Eastern Division.
Tennessee had 14 first-place votes and was picked to finish second in the SEC East. South Carolina got three first-place votes and was predicted to finish third, one spot in front of UK. Florida was projected to be fifth followed by Missouri and Vanderbilt.
Georgia’s dominance was evident on the all-SEC teams as the Bulldogs had 11 players named to the first team and 16 players overall honored on the three teams. Kentucky had three players — defensive lineman Deone Walker, offensive lineman Eli Cox and linebacker JJ Weaver — selected.
The Bulldogs got 181 votes to win the overall SEC championship followed by Alabama with 62. Both teams are on Kentucky’s schedule.
Kentucky was probably hoping/expecting to be picked higher than fourth in the SEC East. But the Cats did lose in a big way toTennessee and lost at home to South Carolina, which beat Tennessee and Clemson to end the regular season and then only lost 45-38 to Notre Dame in its bowl game.
But Kentucky fans should be happy UK was picked fourth in the Eastern Division because it always seems that the Cats are at their best in an underdog role and both coach Mark Stoops and associate coach Vince Marrow love to prove others wrong.
3 Responses
Yes the SEC media did the Cats a favor. Considering Vandy got 8 votes to win the East and about that many to win the SEC, the media isn’t very bright.
Fourth in the East is not bad considering. The Cats have to find a way to beat UT consistently to get more respect in the SEC for starters. Last year’s performance left a bad taste. The loss to USC, the beat down in Knoxville, and then the Vandy "whooping" and bowl loss. Maybe this year will be the year for the Cats. They have some skilled players for sure. The more I look at this schedule they play, the more I worry. Their OL needs to be a whole lot better.
I’m ready for cats football too start, as a reds fan there only thing keeps me cheering on this dull summer months