SEC adds fuel to 'The Real UT' debate between Tennessee, Texas

A battle between two programs has taken place over the last few years ever since the announcement that Texas would be coming to the SEC. With them and Tennessee now in the same league, who would be the official UT?

Well, the Southeastern Conference themselves appears to have made their stance in that conversation clear. In the league’s official release of the Preseason All-SEC Teams today, it was the Volunteers that were listed in their abbreviation as UT. As for Texas, their name was shortened to TEX.

The SEC chimes in on who is the real UT (the one with league seniority): pic.twitter.com/8SQQNn1RwE

— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) July 19, 2024

Each school had an offensive lineman make the All-SEC First Team as per the media vote. Tennessee center Cooper Mays earned the honor from Rocky Top while OL Kelvin Banks got it from down on The 40 Acres. However, next to each of their names, you can find a ruling from the conference in the debate with Mays listed with “UT” and Banks listed with “TEX.”

This is just the latest fan feud over small things like rights to a name in college sports. For example, another team from the SEC, South Carolina, has a running dispute with Southern California over who has the right to USC.

In the grand scheme of things, this matters very little. It’s just a way for fans to, in this case, stake their claim and add more fuel to the offseason fire. Unfortunately for these two, though, it won’t be until at least 2026 due to the conference’s scheduling format that they’ll get a chance to actually settle it on the football field.

Until then, the question that continues on between them is whose orange is better?

2024 SEC Preseason Media Poll

After four days of discussing football, the rubber meets the road in the SEC and the real predictions come to light with the unveiling of 2024 predicted order of finish as voted on by league media in attendance this week at SEC Media Days in Dallas.

The media has put its votes on paper and the league has compiled the votes to provide the official tally of who is expected to finish where.

Georgia enters again as your top team in the Southeastern Conference with the Bulldogs earning 165 first-place votes, which represents 77.5% of the total. They are joined by four returning names in the league with Alabama in third, Ole Miss in fourth, and LSU to round out the top-five. Texas, one of the new entries for the SEC, comes in strong with them placing second behind only the ‘Dawgs. As for Oklahoma, they find themselves slotted in eighth for their own debut in the conference.

2024 SEC Preseason Poll

1. Georgia Bulldogs – 3,330 (165)
2. Texas Longhorns – 3,041 (27)
3. Alabama Crimson Tide – 2,891 (12)
4. Ole Miss Rebels – 2,783 (4)
5. LSU Tigers – 2,322 (2)
6. Missouri Tigers – 2,240
7. Tennessee Volunteers – 2,168
8. Oklahoma Sooners – 2,022
9. Texas A&M Aggies – 1,684
10. Auburns Tigers – 1,382
11. Kentucky Wildcats – 1,371
12. Florida Gators – 1,146
13. South Carolina Gamecocks – 923 (1)
14. Arkansas Razorbacks – 749
15. Mississippi State Bulldogs – 623
16. Vanderbilt Commodores – 293 (2)