Who does media predict to win SEC? Close call between Georgia football and Texas

Georgia football has won the last two SEC championships.

The media who cover the SEC see the Bulldogs making it three in a row.

The Bulldogs narrowly edged Texas to be the team to win the 2026 SEC title, according to the predicted order of finish released on Friday July 24 following the league’s Media Days event in Tampa, Fla.

Georgia had 2,519 points to 2,449 for Texas in the predicted order of finish. Ole Miss was third with 2,004.

Georgia got 88 first-place votes and Texas received 57.

“I really don’t care if they call us the favorite or not,” Georgia senior linebacker Raylen Wilson said. “We know who we are and we’re just trying to get better every day and focus on the next big game. Every game is the next big game because it’s the next one.”

No SEC team has won three straight SEC titles since Alabama from 2014-16. Georgia coach Kirby Smart has won four SEC championships in his first 10 seasons.

The preseason SEC pick has won the conference only 10 times since 1992.

Georgia, coming off a 12-2 season and a second straight CFP quarterfinal loss, does not play Texas this season. It also avoids Texas A&M and LSU who are projected to finish fourth and fifth in the league.

The Bulldogs bring back Gunner Stockton for his second season as starting quarterback and have a pair of first-team All-SEC selections on defense in cornerback Ellis Robinson and safety KJ Bolden.

Texas missed out on the College Football Playoff last season, but is loaded with talent led by quarterback Arch Manning and Auburn transfer wide receiver Cam Coleman.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said he thinks his team will probably have to get by the Bulldogs to win the title.

“You know, there's a lot of sayings and quotes in the sports world in particular, but this one probably is the most fitting: ’If you want to be the champion, you got to beat the champion,’” he said. “It's no more fitting for us.”

Georgia has beaten Texas in all three games since they joined the SEC including the 2025 SEC championship game.

“They've beaten us,” Sarkisian said. “All the credit in the world to Kirby, their team. They're tough. They're good. If we want to be a champion, I'm guessing we'll probably have to beat the champion to make that happen.”

Sarkisian hired former Georgia co-defensive coordaintor Will Muschamp to run his defense.

Georgia retained offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and promoted Phil Rauscher to offensive line coach and hired Larry Knight to coach the outside linebackers.

“It's been a great offseason,” Stockton said. “I think the biggest part is just the excitement we all have for this year. Last year, definitely didn't end up the way we wanted it, but we came off the SEC win in the championship, but definitely didn't end up where we wanted. But we had a great offseason so far. We put a lot of sweat in the bucket, and we've connected a lot.”

Georgia players joining Robinson and Bolden on the preseason All-SEC first team are offensive tackle Earnest Greene and center Drew Bobo. On the second team are running back Nate Frazier, tight end Lawson Luckie, offensive guard Dontrell Glover and defensive lineman Elijah Griffin. Georgia players on the third team are Stockton, defensive end Gabe Harris, Wilson and defensive back Khalil Barnes.

SEC predicted order of finish

Georgia 2,519 points

Texas 2,449

Ole Miss 2,004

Texas A&M 1,967

LSU 1,961

Alabama 1,930

Oklahoma 1,914

Tennessee 1,320

Florida 1,217

Missouri 1,105

South Carolina 956

Auburn 936

Vanderbilt 751

Kentucky 546

Mississippi State 467

Arkansas 262

SEC Champion

Georgia 88 votes

Texas 57

Ole Miss 6

Texas A&M 5

Alabama 3

Oklahoma 2

LSU 2

Kentucky 1

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Who does media predict to win SEC? Close call between Georgia football and Texas