SEC preseason poll takeaways: Georgia picked to win league, Ole Miss overrated in media rankings - CBS Sports

What the report says

CBS Sports reported that Georgia is the media’s preseason pick to win the 2026 SEC football championship following the league’s media days. The annual poll, released Friday, put the Bulldogs first with 2,519 points and 88 championship votes. Texas ranked second with 2,449 points and 57 title votes, setting up a projected Georgia-Texas SEC Championship Game on Dec. 5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The poll showed a competitive upper tier in the 16-team league. Ole Miss was third with 2,004 points and six championship votes, followed by Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma. Eight schools received at least one vote to win the conference, including Kentucky. CBS Sports noted that preseason favorites have not always converted expectations into titles; since the SEC Championship Game began in 1992, the predicted winner has claimed the league crown 10 times.

In its analysis, CBS Sports described Ole Miss as potentially overrated despite the presence of coach Pete Golding and standout players Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, citing a difficult conference schedule and uncertainty in Golding’s first full season. Missouri, picked 10th, was also viewed skeptically because of major defensive turnover, quarterback questions and running back Ahmad Hardy’s recovery from injuries suffered in an offseason shooting.

CBS Sports identified Mississippi State and LSU as possible undervalued teams. It pointed to Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor and the return of Zach Arnett as defensive coordinator as reasons for optimism. For LSU, the outlet cited Lane Kiffin’s offensive track record, transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt and additions from a highly rated transfer class as factors that could make the Tigers better than their No. 5 projection.