re: What are each SEC teams general professional team allegiances?

Actually prior to Superstation TBS starting up in the late 70’s, the Cardinals were Mississippi’s favorite team period. People listened to them on the radio from the 1930’s onward. My Dad was a Cardinal fan, later Orioles.
If you ask any older Mississippian that is over 60, chances are they were/are a Cardinals fan. The Braves became the team during the 80’s w/Dale Murphy and then later with all the great players through the 90’s/00’s.

So yes, the Cardinals still have a wide fan base.