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Gators get only one vote to win SEC title; picked for 5th in East

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One vote?

Out of 224, the Gators got one vote?

If the media who attended the SEC media days are correct, it will be another so-so year in Gainesville this year. The media gave 96 votes to Auburn to win the SEC title and 80 to Alabama to win the SEC West. Georgia had 28 votes to be the top pick in the SEC East.

For Florida, that might dampen some of the enthusiasm that comes with a new head coach (Jim McElwain) and new quarterback (either Will Grier or Treon Harris). But it has been six seasons since the Gators won the East, seven since they won the SEC. During that time, they’ve finished second twice, third twice and fifth once.

This year, the voters thought the Gators were destined for another fifth-place finish.

It’s a bit frustrating for a Florida fan, whose team finished first in the SEC seven times in 11 seasons.

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Gary Shelton is one of the most recognized and honored sportswriters in the history of the state. He has won the APSE's national columnist of the year twice and finished in the top 10 eight times. He was named the Florida Sportswriter of the Year six times. Gary joined SaintPetersBlog in the spring, helping to bring a sports presence to the website. Over his time in sports writing, Gary has covered 29 Super Bowls, 10 Olympics, Final Fours, Masters, Wimbledons and college national championships. He was there when the Bucs won a Super Bowl, when the Lightning won a Stanley Cup and when the Rays went to a World Series. He has seen Florida, FSU and Miami all win national championships, and he covered Bear Bryant, Bobby Bowden and Don Shula along the way. He and his wife Janet have four children: Eric, Kevin, K.C. and Tori. To contact, visit [email protected].

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