More Of The Same In 2022?
The summer’s flying by and before you know it the greatest time of the year football season will be here. How do we know? The leagues are finishing up “Media Days” where the commissioners talk about the future and answer questions. Then each coach explains why their team will be better and also talks to the media. At the end there’s always a vote of how the season plays out. We here at the site decided to get in on the fun with our 2022 Last Word SEC Predictions.
Who’s The Beast Of The East?
We asked our writers to rank the teams 1-7 in each division and tabulated the results.
Team Total Points First Place Votes
1. Georgia 11 11
2. Tennessee 29 0
3. Kentucky 30 0
4. Florida 47 0
5. South Carolina 48 0
6. Missouri 65 0
7. Vanderbilt 77 0
Going Inside The Numbers
To no one’s surprise Stetson Bennett and the defending national champions got all the first place votes and start on top. Behind them is where it gets interesting. Kentucky and Tennessee both placed second on five ballots. However two ballots had Mark Stoops club picked fourth and fifth. The Vols on the other hand were no lower than third on one ballot so they get second place. They can settle it on October 29th as the Cats look for back to back wins in Knoxville for the first time since 1962 and 1964.
Further down the list it’s been a long time since the Gators were picked this low. One third place vote was as high as they got. For all the national hype around Spencer Rattler and South Carolina the Last Word staff isn’t on board, at least not yet. Missouri was sixth on every ballot but one where they were fifth. Finally despite Clark Lea’s claims Vanderbilt will be a national power very soon they have a lot of work to do. They were a unanimous last in the division.
As we continue on with our 2022 Last Word SEC Predictions let’s head out west.
The Best In The West
Team Total Points First Place Votes
1. Alabama 12 10
2. Texas A&M 30 0
3. Ole Miss 35 1
4. Arkansas 44 0
5. LSU 47 0
6. Mississippi State 71 0
7. Auburn 72 0
Breaking It Down
Much like the Bulldogs, it’s no shock seeing Bryce Young and the Crimson Tide starting in the top spot. The one surprise was it wasn’t unanimous. One Last Word voter is fully aboard the “Lane Train” as they chose Kiffin’s Rebels to win the west. Alabama does play in Oxford on November 12th and who knows it could be for the title.
While they got no first place votes Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies were second on more than half the ballots. Meanwhile despite their one winning projection the Rebels finished four and fifth on many others. Moving further down the line Sam Pittman’s Razorbacks narrowly edged out the new look LSU Tigers and Brian Kelly.
Mike Leach Bulldogs were either sixth or seventh on every ballot. Finally if the predictions play out then the hot seat Bryan Harsin’sin down in Auburn is only getting hotter.
Now that we’ve shown you how our staff thinks the conference race will play out as we finish up our 2022 Last Word SEC Predictions let’s see who wins the championship.
SEC Championship Predictions
Our writers have Alabama and Georgia meeting for the third time in the last five years. All but two have Alabama winning their third straight title and the ninth under Nick Saban. One picked Georgia to unseat the Crimson Tide while the other has the Bulldogs beating Ole Miss. As a side note if the Rebels make it that would be their first time ever in the title game. That would leave Kentucky, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt as the only schools to never make the championship game.
Thanks for checking out our 2022 Last Word SEC Predictions here at Last Word On College Football. Is someone picked too high or low? Sound off in the comment section below or on Twitter.
