DESTIN, Fla. — If it’s talking season, it means time for other coaches to talk up other teams. Enter Butch Jones, whose Tennessee team may be favored to win the SEC East.

Jones, addressing the media before the start of SEC meetings, was asked about beating Florida, last year’s division champion, and ended up saying something about another potential pitfall in the East.

“I think Georgia is one of the best football teams in our conference, not just in the East, but total,” Jones said, leaving it at that.

He was later asked why he felt so strongly about the Bulldogs.

“When you look at their skill set, their lines of scrimmages in offensive and defensive lines, you look at the success that program has had a over a very long period of time,” Jones said. “They return a lot of starters. That’s going to be a challenge. I have a tremendous amount of respect for their program. And everyone. Because again, unless you compete in it every day, it’s a grind day in and day out.”

Tennessee beat Georgia last year, 38-31 in Knoxville. This year the Volunteers have to visit Athens on Oct. 1.