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Tennessee Football: SEC media member picked the Vols to win the SEC

By Colton Pickard

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Tennessee mascot Davy Crockett carries the flag across the end zone during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Tennessee mascot Davy Crockett carries the flag across the end zone during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee is expected to take a jump in 2019, but one media member believes Tennessee will make the jump to SEC East and SEC Champions.

Well, when I woke up this morning, I did not expect to be writing about someone taking Tennessee to win the SEC East much less the SEC. Ultimately, they were predicted to finish fifth by the media and who they’re behind is appalling.

Georgia, Florida, Missouri, and South Carolina are all in front of Tennessee in the East standings. Georgia had 233 first-place votes which were 20 votes behind Alabama to win the West with 253.

About the four teams in front of Tennessee, I can see where Georgia and Florida are in front of Tennessee. That makes sense, but Missouri and South Carolina seem a bit weird.

Based on recent performances over the past few years, it probably makes sense. Tennessee hasn’t beaten a Will Muschamp coached South Carolina team, and Missouri has owned Tennessee the past couple of years.

Missouri has won by a combined score of 100-34 over the past two seasons, which is the exact definition of domination. But Jeremy Pruitt is planning to change all that.

We’ve seen the picture of the list of embarrassing losses from 2018 as Pruitt is slowly changing the culture and shaping the program how he wants it.

If you haven’t seen it, well, there it is. It’s missing the Missouri loss but unlike Mr. Matter believes I think Pruitt knows that Tennessee won’t be losing to Mizzou again while he’s the head coach.

For the rest of the SEC, Georgia and Alabama were the front runners to win the SEC, but Alabama was well ahead of Georgia. Alabama had 203 votes to Georgia’s 49 votes.

But when it comes to the SEC East, it’s pretty open for the future. Of course, you have Georgia who will stay at the top, but Dan Mullen has had a rough offseason at Florida, and that could ultimately be the future of the Mullen-led Florida Gators.

I don’t think Barry Odom is going to keep Missouri in the SEC, in fact, I don’t see them competing at a high level in the SEC after this year with Odom as the coach.

South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt are pretty far away from being at Georgia’s level too. The Gamecocks won’t get over the hump with Muschamp, Kentucky had their best team since the 1980’s this past season and only won eight games, and Vanderbilt is, well, Vanderbilt.

In the past Vanderbilt has put their academics over athletics and although there’s nothing wrong with that they won’t be able to win the SEC until they’re all in on their football program.

With those three teams where they are that gives Tennessee the opportunity to leap over them this upcoming season, and I think they could jump Missouri too.

If Mullen slowly falls apart at Florida, Tennessee could soon be the lead competitor for the SEC East against Georgia.

Next. Did Nick Saban hint at Jeremy Pruitt’s success?. dark

I think the Vols have a bright future with Pruitt as the head coach and if there’s someone to bring down Georgia in the East and ultimately Nick Saban and Alabama, I think it is Pruitt who can get it done.

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