Under-the-Radar SEC Games That Will Be Huge in 2015
By now, you know which games in the SEC will define the season.
The Iron Bowl never seems to disappoint, the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party always seems to carry importance in the SEC East, and anytime LSU and Alabama get together, you can expect a nail-biter.
But which under-the-radar games in the SEC will be huge in 2015? Our picks based on the intensity of the rivalries and importance to the division title races are in this slideshow.
LSU at Mississippi State, Sept. 12
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When Mississippi State and LSU met last season in Baton Rouge, Bulldog quarterback Dak Prescott burst onto the Heisman Trophy radar by leading his Bulldogs to a huge lead, only to see LSU come storming back and come within a Hail Mary of one of the most miraculous comebacks of the season.
In the end, the 34-29 win for Mississippi State was the jumping-off point to head coach Dan Mullen's magical 10-win season.
This year, the two SEC West foes square off in Starkville in Week 2, with neither having much of a challenge during Week 1. What will Mississippi State's defense look like? Who will play quarterback for LSU? How will new Tigers defensive coordinator Kevin Steele deal with Prescott, wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson and the dangerous Bulldogs offense?
This game will give the college football world a good glimpse of where exactly these two programs are early in the season and set the tone for the SEC West.
Missouri at Georgia, Oct. 17
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The Missouri game last year served as Nick Chubb's first foray on the big stage, as the true freshman stepped in for suspended Todd Gurley in a pinch and ripped off 143 yards in a 34-0 Bulldogs win that wasn't even as close as the score indicated (yes, it was that bad).
Two seasons ago, though, it was Missouri shocking Georgia between the hedges en route to its first of back-to-back SEC East titles. Now the two-time division champs will head back to the location that first put them on the SEC map in a big-time showdown that will give the winner the ever-important head-to-head tiebreaker.
As I mentioned in our early win/loss record predictions earlier the month, I don't expect either of these teams to win the division. The loser, though, will be fighting an uphill battle simply to get back into the discussion in November.
Ole Miss at Auburn, Oct. 31
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Auburn and Ole Miss squared off in a 12-round slugfest in Oxford last season that resulted in a big 35-31 win for the Tigers, who kept their national title hopes alive for another week.
This year, the two SEC West contenders will square off on the Plains on Halloween night, where one team will likely emerge with title hopes intact.
Auburn's defense should be much better in 2015 under first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, and the offense should be much more balanced under quarterback Jeremy Johnson—who's more of a threat through the air than former Auburn starter Nick Marshall.
Ole Miss has plenty of options at quarterback, a veteran offensive line that should come together in the offseason and plenty of options at running back to establish a running game between the tackles to complement edge-rusher Jaylen Walton.
It should be a fun matchup and likely will serve as an elimination game in the SEC West.
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Texas A&M at Arkansas (in Arlington, Texas), Sept. 26
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Texas A&M and Arkansas met in a thrilling early-season overtime showdown at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, last season, and the two SEC West foes will square off again in Jerry World in 2015.
What's more, this could define which of these teams is a contender and which is a pretender in 2015.
Arkansas is essentially "the new girl in school" after it shut out LSU and Ole Miss last November and held Texas to a shanked pitching wedge worth of offense in the bowl game. Meanwhile, Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin lured former LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis to College Station to lead a defense that is long on talent but short on consistency.
Who will prevail deep in the heart of Texas? The winner will make a big statement to the rest of the league and say "we're here, and we're not going anywhere."
Ole Miss at Alabama, Sept. 19
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Ole Miss handed Alabama its first loss of the season on Oct. 4 last year in a thrilling matchup in Oxford, and the two SEC West foes will square off even earlier this season with revenge on the mind of Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban.
This game will serve as the SEC opener for both schools, and when the Rebels roll into Tuscaloosa, there will still be some mystery. Head coach Hugh Freeze's crew opens the season with UT-Martin and Fresno State at home, so expect Freeze to keep some aspects of the 2015 offense under wraps before heading across the state line to take on the Tide.
Meanwhile, Alabama will already have a tough test with Wisconsin under its belt and have plenty of questions already answered on its new-look offense when the tough Rebels defense comes to town.
Revenge? Division title hopes? National implications? This game will have them all.
Texas A&M at LSU, Nov. 28
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LSU and Texas A&M met on Thanksgiving night in College Station in a game that served as a fitting end to the season for the Aggies, as Leonard Fournette racked up 146 rushing yards and a touchdown, sending former Aggies defensive coordinator Mark Snyder on the job hunt.
This year, the roles could be reversed.
In my early win-loss projections, I have the Aggies at 9-3 and losing this game despite beating both Auburn and Alabama. If that scenario plays out, though, it would make the LSU-A&M game incredibly important.
Texas A&M would play LSU with outside hopes of the SEC West title. It'd have to beat LSU and have Auburn beat Alabama, which would put Aggies, Tide and Auburn Tigers all with two conference losses but with the Aggies holding head-to-head tiebreakers over both.
Even if that scenario doesn't play out, this is an underrated rivalry from both historical and recruiting standpoints. If LSU head coach Les Miles doesn't figure out a way to fix the offense, it also could serve as the game that puts Miles squarely on the hot seat in 2016.
Arkansas at Tennessee, Oct. 3
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Arkansas and Tennessee are both on the rise, and the college football world will get to see which one has risen more quickly on Oct. 3, when the Razorbacks head to Rocky Top.
Just how big is this game? Not only is it a battle of up-and-coming programs, but its place on the schedule for each team will truly test depth—the last component in place before most teams become true contenders. Arkansas plays this game fresh off a home game against Texas Tech and its matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, versus Texas A&M, while Tennessee will be coming back home after its SEC opener at Florida.
Will Arkansas have the depth to be able to handle the SEC grind for a full season? Just how good are Tennessee's youngsters?
Those questions will be answered in this matchup, which should be a lot of fun.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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