SPORTS LEDGER Established 2006 The PAGE 9 July 2025 Media Ranks SEC Football Teams TE - Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt OL - Kadyn Proctor, Alabama OL - Cayden Green, Missouri By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger Preseason All-SEC Football Teams Named
DL - R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma LB - Deontae Lawson, Alabama LB - Harold Perkins, LSU LB - Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss DB - Malik Muhammad, Texas DB - Domani Jackson, Alabama DB - Will Lee III, Texas A&M DB - Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina Third-Team DL - Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss LB - Taurean York, Texas A&M LB - Arion Carter, Tennessee LB - Princewill Umanmielen, Ole Miss DB - Keon Sabb, Alabama DB - Boo Carter, Tennessee DB - Bray Hubbard, Alabama DB - Isaac Smith, Mississippi State SPECIALISTS First-Team P - Brett Thorson, Georgia PK - Peyton Woodring, Georgia LS - Beau Gardner, Georgia KS – Peyton Woodring, Georgia RS - Zachariah Branch, Georgia AP - Zachariah Branch, Georgia Second-Team DL - Tyreak Sapp, Florida DL - Trey Moore, Texas DL - Cam Ball, Arkansas P - Jack Bouwmeester, Texas *PK - Trey Smack, Florida *PK - Lucas Carneiro, Ole Miss LS – Rocco Underwood, Florida KS - Trey Smack, Florida RS - Barion Brown, LSU AP - Zavion Thomas, LSU Third-Team *P - Devin Bale, Arkansas *P - Aidan Laros, Kentucky PK - Alex McPherson, Auburn LS - Ben Anderson, Oklahoma KS – Will Stone, Texas RS - Zavion Thomas, LSU *AP - Eugene Wilson III, Florida *AP - Jadan Baugh, Florida * - Indicates a tie
The University of Texas football program has been predicted to win the 2025 SEC Championship, according to a preseason poll of media covering the recent SEC Football Media Days. The SEC reported that the Longhorns received 96 votes to be crowned SEC Champion on December 6 in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Georgia Bulldogs were picked to be Texas’ opponent in a rematch of the 2024 SEC Championship Game. Georgia received 44 votes to win the SEC Championship. The Alabama Crimson Tide placed third on the list after receiving 29 votes from those attending the Media Day. I think we should make that 30 votes, and include Kalen Deboer's team as The Sports Ledger' pick for this year's SEC Champions. LSU was the only other SEC team to receive double digit votes at the event. The Tigers received 20 votes to finish in fourth place in the media's preseason poll. South Carolina received five votes and Oklahoma had three votes. Vanderbilt and Florida both picked up two votes for this year's top team. Auburn, along with Tennessee and Ole Miss, only received one vote each from the media. However, it is likely that all three teams will play better than last year and I do not believe that any of the three programs will finish last in the SEC. In fact, I predict that all three will have a chance at a bowl game by the end of the season! Teams not receiving any first places media votes this year include: Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Arkansas. The SEC noted that "the participants of the SEC Championship Game will be determined during the regular- season conference schedule as the teams with the two best overall SEC winning percentages." Although some media believe Texas is the best SEC team this year, the Longhorns' chance of winning this year's title are slim. Statistically, only 10 times since 1992 (33 years) has the predicted preseason SEC Media Days team went on to actually win the SEC Championship Game. 2025 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OL - DJ Campbell, Texas OL - Austin Barber, Florida C - Jake Slaughter, Florida Second-Team QB –Garrett Nussmeier, LSU RB - Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma RB - Caden Durham, LSU WR - Aaron Anderson, LSU
WR - Ryan Wingo, Texas TE - Oscar Delp, Georgia OL - Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M OL - Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M OL - Jaeden Roberts, Alabama OL - Fernando Carmona Jr., Arkansas C - Parker Brailsford, Alabama Third-Team QB – Arch Manning, Texas RB - Nate Frazier, Georgia RB - Jam Miller, Alabama WR - Eric Singleton, Auburn WR - Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri TE - Jack Endries, Texas OL - Earnest Greene III, Georgia OL - Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M OL - Xavier Chaplin, Auburn DEFENSE First-Team DL - Keldric Faulk, Auburn DL - Dylan Stewart, South Carolina DL - Colin Simmons, Texas DL - Christian Miller, Georgia LB - Anthony Hill Jr., Texas OL - Trevor Goosby, Texas C - Connor Lew, Auburn LB - Whit Weeks, LSU LB - CJ Allen, Georgia DB - KJ Bolden, Georgia DB - Michael Taaffe, Texas DB - Daylen Everette, Georgia DB - Jermod McCoy, Tennessee Second-Team DL - Caleb Banks, Florida DL - Tim Keenan III, Alabama DL - LT Overton, Alabama
OFFENSE: First-Team QB – LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina RB - Quintrevion Wisner, Texas RB – Le'Veon Moss, Texas A&M WR - Ryan Williams, Alabama WR - Cam Coleman, Auburn
CUSA has announced the results of its first Bowl Confidence Index, an innovative preseason feature voted on by a panel of media members that cover member institutions. Liberty and WKU topped the list as unanimous selections by the voters to qualify for a bowl game, while Jacksonville State was given a 91.67% chance to make what would be the program's third consecutive bowl appearance. Voted on by a panel of 24 members – consisting of a sports information director and media representative from each CUSA institution – the index reflects the percentage of ballots each team appeared on, proving a confidence score for their likelihood of reaching postseason play. Both the Flames and Hilltoppers have appeared in a bowl game in each of the last six seasons. They are among 13 FBS programs and four Group of Five teams (Louisiana, Memphis) that have an active streak of six bowl appearances or longer. A year after ranking fourth nationally in rushing offense (250.7), Liberty will feature a new-look backfield led by Vaughn Blue and JuJu Gray, who each averaged around six yards per carry last season. The Flames also return key members at each level of the defense in defensive tackle Bryce Dixon (33 tackles, 11 solo), linebacker Joseph Carter (88 tackles, 45 solo) and safety Brylan Green (32 tackles). WKU once again dipped in the transfer portal for a quarterback in Abilene Christian signal-caller Maverick McIvor, who threw for 3,847 yards, 30 touchdowns and just seven interceptions for the Wildcats in 2024. McIvor’s offensive coordinator in Abilene, Rick Bowie, is also joining the Hilltoppers in the same role. WKU added a litany of weapons in the portal to join running back George Hart (4.8 YPC) and pass catchers K.D. Hutchinson (383 yards, 3 TD) and Noah Meyers (123 yards, 1 TD). Defending CUSA champion Jax State also earned strong support, appearing on nearly 92 percent of ballots. The Gamecocks will be led by first-year head coach Charles Kelly, who spent the first five-years of his full-time coaching career in Jacksonville from 1994-98. Jax State will also roll out a brand-new backfield but has high expectations for TCU transfer running back Cam Cook, who ran for 490 yards and nine touchdowns at TCU last season. Also drawing notable confidence is LA Tech, which appeared on 75 percent of ballots. Jax State has a 91% chance at a Bowl Game
The Crossville football program held a Spring scrimmage game in May 2025. The Lions JV team was preparing for the upcoming season, which officially kicks off on September 2. Crossville will open the season with a home game against the Albertville Aggies at 6 p.m. on September 2. It will be the first of four home games this fall for the Lions. Crossville will welcome Westbrook on September 15 at 7 p.m, Ider on October 13 at 6 p.m.; and Douglas in the season finale on October 20 at 6 p.m. The Lions will travel to Plainview (Sept. 9), Southeastern (Sept. 23), Geraldine (Sept. 29), and Madison County (Oct. 6). All away games start at 6 p.m. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Crossville JV Football To Play Four Home Games in 2025
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