Five Biggest Surprises from the Media’s SEC Predictions

Nov 22, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones talks with the media following the game against the Missouri Tigers at Neyland Stadium. Missouri won 29-21. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

4. 36 First-Place Votes for the Vols

With 36 people predicting Tennessee to win the SEC East, in many ways they are becoming more of a major candidate to win the division instead of just a dark horse. The Georgia Bulldogs still overwhelmingly were the favorites to win the East.

And they deserved it.

But Tennessee receiving 36 first-place votes is no minor thing. The Vols clearly are on a lot of people’s radar screens given the way they finished last season, the number of returning starters they have, and the way they have recruited.

And they are all of a sudden going from “Watch out for them” to “Just how good can they be.”

It is something to be excited about, and Butch Jones was clearly at his best telling his program to embrace those expectations, but it was still shocking to see.

Now comes the big question of whether they can live up to that, and those expectations get a little crazier based on who they have been picked to finish ahead of.

That is what brings us to our next prediction here.

Next: #3: Tennessee Ahead of Missouri in the East