The LSU Tigers have not finished below fourth place in the Southeastern Conference West standings this century.

The last time LSU ended a regular season in fifth place in its division was way back in 1999, which was the final season of coach Gerry DiNardo’s forgettable tenure in Baton Rouge. That season the Tigers went a disastrous 3-8 overall and 1-7 in SEC play. 

The media members who cover the Southeastern Conference feel that the Tigers will do just that in 2018 as LSU was picked to finish fifth in the SEC Preseason Poll released Friday. The voting wrapped up the SEC Media Days in Atlanta.

The fifth-place prediction is the worst preseason ranking for the Tigers since 2000 — the first season of former head coach Nick Saban.

Speaking of Saban, defending national champion Alabama was picked to win the West, followed by Auburn, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss and Arkansas. Defending SEC champion Georgia was selected to win the East Division, followed by South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

The Crimson Tide have been picked by SEC media as the preseason favorite to win the SEC West Division nine times in past decade. The only team that has been picked to win the division in that decade stretch not named Alabama? LSU in 2012.

The number five also happens to be the number of LSU players who earned All-SEC preseason honors on Friday.

Junior linebacker Devin White and redshirt sophomore cornerback Greedy Williams both earned first-team honors. 

White is coming off a season in which he led the SEC with 133 tackles and is on the watch list for the Bednarik Award and is projected to be a Top 15 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. Williams, meanwhile, led the league in interceptions and passes defended and recorded 38 tackles. Williams also is on the Bednarik Award watch list and is expected to a be first-round draft pick.

LSU senior guard Garrett Brumfield earned second-team honors, and was the lone Tiger placed on any of the offensive teams. Junior defensive end Rashard Lawrence and punter Zach Von Rosenberg, meanwhile, earned third-team honors.

Alabama led the way with 14 selections, including seven first-team selections, while Georgia garnered 12 overall selections, and three first-team honorees.