7/20/2018 football Edit

Gators voted to finish third in SEC East

Jacquie Franciulli • 1standTenFlorida

Staff

ATLANTA- Gators are picked to finish third in the SEC East at SEC Media Days behind both Georgia and South Carolina, while Alabama was picked to win the SEC title.

Florida did receive four first-place votes and two SEC title votes as well. Florida picked up 1,441 total points. The Bulldogs were predicted to finish first in the division with 1,977 points and 271 first-place votes.

The Gators had eight players selected to the All-SEC Team on Friday: two first-team members, two second-team members and four third-team members.

First Team: Cece Jefferson and Martez Ivey.

Second Team: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and C.J. Henderson

Third Team: Jordan Scarlett, David Reese, Kadarius Toney and Marco Wilson

SEC media votes Florida to finish third in the SEC East.

Florida begins the 2018 season after finishing fifth in the SEC East last season - finishing with a 3-5 record in SEC play.

"One of the things that having been in this conference for quite a long time that I've learned is the margin for error is very small," said Florida head coach Dan Mullen at SEC Media Days. "The margin for error from having a bad season to an average season, an average season to a good season, a good season to a great season, a great season to a special season is very, very small. That's what makes it such a huge challenge. You have to bring your "A" game every single week no matter who it is you are going to play.

"The goal for this year's team is to go to get back here the first week in December and compete for an SEC Championship. That's our goal with this year's team. We also have a goal, though, to build the program, to be a consistent championship contender. And those -- sometimes they go hand in hand; sometimes they don't," added Mullen. "But we're constantly working to do it. And the work our guys put in, I want to see how they come off of summer conditioning, all the extra work that they've put in. Certainly our goal is to find a way to compete for a championship and get back here in December. Q. You've seen the Georgia rivalry in Georgia

Prior to 2017, the Gators had won the SEC East title and played for the SEC Championship.

For complete coverage of SEC Media Days make sure to check out Gators Territory's Coverage Central. There you will find several articles, analysis, videos, and interviews from the event.