SEC Media Days, often jokingly referred to as the “Microphone Olympics,” is as much a content and networking event as it is a football event. Over four days, more than 1,000 media members gather alongside all 16 SEC head coaches and select players, creating one of the busiest stretches of the offseason. The event provides extensive access and no shortage of storylines.
As always, the reactions that follow can be just as noteworthy as the event itself. Some are warranted. Others are inevitable. Here are the two biggest takeaways from this year’s SEC Media Days, for better and for worse.
What they got right: Georgia winning the SEC
Georgia has been the premiere team in the conference for the last decade. Even before Nick Saban retired, they took over that throne.
The Dawgs have won the last two SEC Championships and, outside of the COVID year, they’ve played in the last eight, overall. That hasn’t seemed to stop people in the media from picking Texas over Georgia in the first two years the Longhorns have been in the league.
Maybe it was the 0-3 record against Georgia that finally did it. Maybe it’s Georgia’s ridiculous level of talent and continuity that return this year. Maybe it’s that they get to play the easiest schedule in the conference in 2026. Either way, putting them in over Texas was the deserving move for a team that hasn’t done anything to be disrespected under Kirby Smart.
For what it’s worth, in the last 26 years of preseason media picks, the media has gotten it right just eight times.
What they got wrong: Vicari Swain injustice
Vicari Swain led the SEC in punt returns for touchdowns last season with three. He averaged over 15.8 yards per return. The return yardage wasn’t enough to lead the SEC, but no one found the end zone on punt returns more often. That seemingly wasn’t enough to sway voters.
Vicari Swain was left off the first, second and third team lists. I can only assume it’s because he plays at South Carolina and not Texas or Oklahoma. And to be fair, both Ryan Niblett and Isaiah Sategna III are really great returners.
I’m just not sure what else a player has to do besides set a program record for return touchdowns in a season and finish one shy of the conference record (four) a season ago.
